The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Dr. Frederick Fasehun

  • OPC hails Tinubu for honouring Fasehun

    OPC hails Tinubu for honouring Fasehun

    Yoruba socio-cultural group, the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) has praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for posthumously awarding Dr. Frederick Fasehun, the group’s founder, the national honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON).

    This recognition, announced on June 12, is seen as a long-overdue tribute to Fasehun’s pivotal role in the country’s democracy.

    In a statement, the OPC President, Otunba Wasiu Afolabi, called on the government to follow up on the award by compensating victims of military brutality during the June 12 pro-democracy struggle, in line with recommendations by the Oputa Panel.

    OPC highlighted the sacrifices made byFasehun and its members, many of whom were killed, maimed, or lost livelihoods during the military regimes of Generals Babangida and Abacha. Fasehun suffered arrests, incarceration, and loss of property, yet remained committed to the democratic cause, he added.

    The statement reads: “Hundreds of OPC members, committed to the struggle to restore democracy to Nigeria, were attacked, maimed for life and murdered by General Abacha’s security forces, especially after OPC became affiliated with the umbrella organ for the June 12 struggle, NADECO.

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    “Dr. Fasehun was brutalised, arrested and incarcerated several times; his hospital, hotel and other businesses collapsed; but he remained undaunted and true to the struggle. “But as God would have it, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a NADECO chieftain and frontrunner in the June 12 struggle, has become the country’s President and Commander-in-Chief.”

    The group condemned recent killings in Benue State, attributing them to deliberate destabilisation by enemies of the country’s progress.

    It urged President Tinubu, a former NADECO chieftain, to address the growing insecurity in Nigeria and to resist foreign and local threats to the country’s stability.

  • OPC demands Melaye’s release

    Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) President, Dr. Frederick Fasehun, has kicked against police arraigning Senator Dino Melaye on a hospital stretcher, saying, it represents a gross violation of human rights by the government of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    OPC further called for the immediate release of the Senator.

    In a statement issued in Lagos at the weekend, the Yoruba socio-cultural group vilified the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, over the incident and others that, OPC complained, were contributing to the government’s sordid human rights records.

    Fasehun said: “Transporting Senator Melaye on a stretcher from Abuja for arraignment in Lokoja, Kogi State, the IGP is behaving like a Gestapo police chief in Adolf Hitler’s Germany. That action is unacceptable. It is man’s inhumanity against man. The Distinguished Senator’s arraignment in a stretcher is degrading, dehumanising and draconian, and it deserves universal condemnation by all right-thinking persons.”

    The Senator reportedly suffered back injuries as he tried to escape tear-gas fumes in a police vehicle transporting him to Lokoja, following which he was admitted in an Abuja hospital, from where police brought him to court on a stretcher in the Federal capital and subsequently to Lokoja, Kogi State.

    “Senator Dino Melaye must not die!” Fasehun warned. “Whoever is maltreating him can only hide under the cover of this regime, but that person will surely account for this gross misdeed not only to Nigerians but the international community.”

    Fasehun said, it was clear that the police were mishandling and maltreating the Senator as part of an ongoing script designed to silence the opposition.

    “They just want to cow everyone into silence. This is one more attempt to stifle the patriotic voices that have tried to hold the PMB regime accountable in the National Assembly, in the Judiciary, in the social and traditional media, in civil society and in opposition political parties,” OPC said. “It is a throwback to the era of Decree 4 of 1984, when as maximum dictator; General Muhammadu Buhari made it dangerous to exercise your Freedom of Speech.”

    He recalled that the IGP similarly displayed this tendency in the Benue killings, where the police chief disobeyed the President’s specific directive to relocate to Makurdi, the capital, to stem the wave of attacks from Fulani herdsmen.

    Fasehun cited the continuing detention of Dambo Dasuki, Nigeria’s former Chief Security Officer, despite court rulings for his freedom, and the case of Sheikh El-Zakzaky, whose Shiite members have been killed by police during peaceful demonstrations.

    OPC said that despite his theatrics outside the chambers and in the social media, Melaye by his contribution to House sessions reflects the best traditions of parliamentary democracy, with his bold, energetic, researched, cerebral and oratorical contributions to plenary.

    OPC said, “Senator Melaye certainly does not deserve the inhuman treatment he is suffering at the hands of agents of the government. He should be released on self-recognition to take care of his health.”

    According to OPC, it was a pity that rather than take advantage of its clear majority in the National Assembly to improve the welfare of Nigerians, the Buhari regime had spent the last three years in needless grandstanding and unfruitful battles with potential partners in progress.

     

  • UPN drags Fasheun, IG to court

    UPN drags Fasheun, IG to court

    THE Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) has sued the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Abba Suleiman; the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Commissioner of Police, Wilson Inalegwu, and the suspended National Chairman of the party, Dr Frederick Fasehun.

    In addition to seeking the release of one of its officers, Mohammed Madawaki, from the Abuja detention centre of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), the party also wants the court to restrain the three or their agents from harassing and intimidating its officers, Dr. Abubakar Manzo, Alh Abubakar Sokoto, Dr Ola Olateju and Alh Adedeji Salau.

    The originating motion for enforcement of fundamental rights was filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja last week.

    In the motion, the party is seeking: “The court’s declaration that the continued harassment, intimidation and threats to unlawfully arrest and detain the four applicants and deny them their rights to liberty, dignity of the human person and freedom of moment by the respondents constitute   acts that will likely result in violation of the applicants’ fundamental rights protected by Sections 33, 34 and 35 of the 1999 Constitution.

    “That the continued detention of Madawaki by the police at the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) detention centre, Abattoir, Abuja constitutes a grave violation of the Madawaki’s fundamental rights guaranteed by the constitution.”

     

    On the grounds for bringing the application, the five applicants relied on Section 46 (1)  Order 2 Rule 1 of the Fundamental rights (Enforcement Procedure) of 2009 that allows applicants to approach the court to seek redress for any threat to or likelihood of infringement of any of his fundamental rights.

    They also stated that the respondents are bent on contravening the applicants’ rights to personal liberty and freedom of movement.

    The complaints alleged Madawaki is being detained under the most dehumanising and degrading conditions contrary to the provisions of the Nigerian constitution.

     

  • UPN not for highest bidder, says Fasehun

    UPN not for highest bidder, says Fasehun

    The Independent Na tional Electoral Com- mission (INEC) has released nomination documents to the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) for the regisration of candidates for elective  offices.

    Its National Chairman, Dr. Frederick Fasehun, collected the documents, which came in a compact disk format, at the INEC Headquarters, Abuja.

    Although many parties got their documents last week, the UPN could not collect the document, following the leadership crisis that engulfed the party.

    The materials, CFO1 and CFO2, are nomination forms for candidates at the ward, local government, state and federal levels.

    Fasehun said it was a major breakthrough and recognition for the party.

    He said the party would soon release its timetable for primaries.

    Fasehun added: “Securing the forms, CFO1 and CFO2, is a positive development, especially in the light of the recent developments in the party.

    “Being able to file candidates for elective and public office is a major pillar in the life of a political party. We at the UPN are elated to secure this important instrument that gives us the right to file candidates.”

    The National Treasurer, Okey Nwaneri, said the party has fixed nomination fees for aspirants

    He said presidential aspirants will pay N5 million;  governorship N2.5 million; Senate N2 million; House of Representatives N350,000; Council Chairmanship  N200,000 ; and Councillorship N50,000.

    Nwaneri said aspirants, except those for councillorship, must  present a letter of intent, following the payment of N50,000.

    However, he said that aspirants, who had previously purchased nomination forms, would be exempted from the payment of N50,000.

    The politician added: “Applicants will be profiled first by their relevant chairmen, at the ward, local government, state, or national office they are interested in contesting, before they recommend them to the National Secretariat for due diligence and the purchase of nomination forms.”

    On why the application fees are cheap, relative to fees announced by other parties, Fasehun said it was to curtail corruption in public office.

    He said:“The UPN is not sending politicians to steal and loot the treasury. Moreover, it must be emphasised that public position is held in trust for the party by the nominee or candidate. The party is supreme always. So, what we charge is merely to cover administrative costs.”

  • UPN not for highest bidder, says Fasehun

    UPN not for highest bidder, says Fasehun

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released nomination documents to the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) for the regisration of candidates for elective  offices.

    Its National Chairman, Dr. Frederick Fasehun, collected the documents, which came in a compact disk format, at the INEC Headquarters, Abuja.

    Although many parties got their documents last week, the UPN could not collect the document, following the leadership crisis that engulfed the party.

    The materials, CFO1 and CFO2, are nomination forms for candidates at the ward, local government, state and federal levels.

    Fasehun said it was a major breakthrough and recognition for the party.

    He said the party would soon release its timetable for primaries.

    Fasehun added: “Securing the forms, CFO1 and CFO2, is a positive development, especially in the light of the recent developments in the party.

    “Being able to file candidates for elective and public office is a major pillar in the life of a political party. We at the UPN are elated to secure this important instrument that gives us the right to file candidates.”

    The National Treasurer, Okey Nwaneri, said the party has fixed nomination fees for aspirants

    He said presidential aspirants will pay N5 million;  governorship N2.5 million; Senate N2 million; House of Representatives N350,000; Council Chairmanship  N200,000 ; and Councillorship N50,000.

    Nwaneri said aspirants, except those for councillorship, must  present a letter of intent, following the payment of N50,000.

    However, he said that aspirants, who had previously purchased nomination forms, would be exempted from the payment of N50,000.

    The politician added: “Applicants will be profiled first by their relevant chairmen, at the ward, local government, state, or national office they are interested in contesting, before they recommend them to the National Secretariat for due diligence and the purchase of nomination forms.”

    On why the application fees are cheap, relative to fees announced by other parties, Fasehun said it was to curtail corruption in public office.

    He said:“The UPN is not sending politicians to steal and loot the treasury. Moreover, it must be emphasised that public position is held in trust for the party by the nominee or candidate. The party is supreme always. So, what we charge is merely to cover administrative costs.”