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People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan

PDP Threatens to Prosecute Buhari Over 2011 Election Violence

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has announced its preparedness to prosecute the All Progressives Congress Presidential Candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, over the violence that greeted the 2011 presidential election. The party's Director of Media and Publicity, Femi Fani-Kayode, made this announcement at a press conference in Abuja, alleging that Chatham House, London, accepted financial gratification from the APC before it allowed General Buhari to appear at its Forum last week. Fani-Kayode also raised alarm that his life was being threatened by APC stalwarts for verbally attacking Bola Tinubu.

Key Takeaways:

  • The PDP has announced its preparedness to prosecute General Muhammadu Buhari over the violence that greeted the 2011 presidential election.
  • Femi Fani-Kayode alleged that Chatham House, London, accepted financial gratification from the APC before allowing General Buhari to appear at its Forum last week.
  • Fani-Kayode claimed that the Chatham House public speaking of Buhari was a "monumental failure" and that Buhari was never listed to speak at Chatham House but the APC paid for the engagement.
  • Fani-Kayode insisted that the questions were selected and drilled for Buhari days ahead of his appearance at Chatham House so that he would not fumble while answering questions.
  • The event was organized only two days before it took place and well after Buhari had arrived London.
  • The questions were given to Buhari two days before the event and the answers were prepared for him and given to him to rehearse.
  • The programme lasted for only 55 minutes and only five questions, which were all planted, were asked.
  • 1,500 persons applied to attend the function but only 200 were allowed in, and the audience was carefully selected.
  • The students from the Republic of Ireland were threatened that their scholarships would be withdrawn if they refused to participate in the pro-Buhari rally.
  • The APC mobilized the students to attend the rally, which was seen as a show of shame for General Buhari.
  • Fani-Kayode said General Buhari admitted that he sought medical attention in London and declared: "I am fit. My doctors have declared me fit."
  • Fani-Kayode noted that since Buhari could appear at Chatham House, he must agree to participate in an open debate with President Goodluck Jonathan here in Nigeria.
  • Fani-Kayode also mentioned that General Buhari may have to prepare to face charges of human rights abuses and criminality filed against him before the International Criminal Court on account of the 2011 electoral violence in Nigeria.
  • A case is awaiting the APC presidential candidate at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), and two case files have already been opened for him.

Statistics:

  • Over 938 people lost their lives in the 2011 post-election violence in Nigeria.
  • 735 people were injured in the violence.
  • The complaint filed by Dutch lawyers - Prakken d'Oliveira, a Human Rights Law Firm based in Amsterdam, alleges that General Muhammadu Buhari incited and orchestrated the electoral violence in Nigeria in 2011.
  • The complaint presents factual evidence including the names and descriptions of a sampling of those who lost their lives in the violence.

Sources:

  • "PDP Threatens to Prosecute Buhari Over 2011 Election Violence". Daily Independent. 02 Mar 2015. (Print) AllAfrica Global Media (allafrica.com)
  • African Herald Express report on February 20, 2015.

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