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June 28, 2006
We are back to Decree 4 days - Buhari
FORMER presidential candidate of the All Peoples Party (APP), Major-General Mohammed Buhari (rtd), who is also former of Head of State, on Tuesday in Abuja accused President Olusegun Obasanjo of introducing the much -dreaded Decree 4 to victimise and harass media professionals in the country.
BOLA BADMUS and AYODELE ADESANMI, Abuja - 28.06.2006
Buhari made the accusation at a one-day forum of All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) Women Leaders and stakeholders across the country which took place at the party secretariat, even as he condemned the arrest and arraignment of the African Independent Television (AIT) correspondent, Mr. Gbenga Aruleba and his counterpart at Daily Independent, Mr. Rotimi Durojaiye.
According to Buhari, who was the initiator of the decree which made his regime unpopular before it was toppled through a military coup, Obasanjo was engaging in victimising the media with the actions so far taken against the two journalists because of the alleged role played by the media in scuttling the third term agenda.
The general, who was represented at the occasion by Alhaji Buba Galadima, said the action was nothing short of introducing the much dreaded Decree 4 through the back-door, saying the government ought to have approached the issue in a civilised manner.
He counseled that it was better for anybody who felt unhappy with the criticism of the government of President Obasanjo to go to court, pointing out that the criticism of the president could and must not be equated with sedition.
Meanwhile, the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday refused an oral bail application by Mr. Aruleba and Mr. Durojaiye.
The two men who have been in the custody of the States Security Service (SSS) were arraigned on a six-count charge of conspiracy and sedition by the Federal Government.
Aruleba, who dressed in a black suit without a tie, said he did not understand the charges against him.
“My lord, I did not understand the charges, maybe my lawyer will do. I understand the particulars of the charge but not the offence. But all the same, I am not guilty my lord”, he said.
Durojaiye, who looked unruffled in court, said “I understand the charges against me, but I’m not guilty of any of the charges”.
Counsel to the journalists, Chief Chris Uche (SAN) and Godswill Marakpor, urged the court to grant them bail.
But Justice Babs Kuewumi declined the application, insisting that the application be brought formally before him. The case has been adjourned till tomorrow.
Chief Raymond Dokpesi the chairman of AIT, described the trial as democracy in action.
He, therefore, expressed the need for the Federal Government to allow journalists do their work.
Posted by Publisher at June 28, 2006 02:32 PM
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