Festus Keyamo (SAN), the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, has lodged a petition with the Department of State Services (DSS), urging the agency to apprehend and prosecute the former Vice Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, and his running mate, Datti Baba-Ahmed, for incitement and treasonable felony.
According to Keyamo, the remarks made by Peter Obi and Datti Baba-Ahmed during media appearances since the announcement of the presidential election results have been incendiary and capable of causing rebellion. As the chief spokesperson of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), Keyamo believes that in the post-election period, it is important to calm tensions, reduce the temperature, and initiate the healing process.
The petition was addressed to the Director-General of the DSS and was dated March 23. Keyamo alleged that despite efforts by President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, to promote peace and national cohesion in the aftermath of the election, Peter Obi and Datti Baba-Ahmed have refused to follow suit and have continued to make comments that are likely to incite violence.
Keyamo accused Peter Obi and Datti Baba-Ahmed of making comments and claims that go beyond their right to freedom of speech and the freedom to air their grievances publicly. He claimed that they have called for the truncation of democracy by insisting on the adoption of other processes outside the contemplation of the Constitution, and have even called for the establishment of an Interim Government.
In particular, Keyamo highlighted comments made by Datti Baba-Ahmed during an appearance on Channels TV on March 22, where he threatened that if the President-elect was sworn in on May 29, it would "signal the end of democracy." Keyamo further alleged that Peter Obi and Datti Baba-Ahmed have instructed some youths to push out inciting messages on social media in order to cause panic and fear within the federation and incite people to riot and social unrest.
While acknowledging that Peter Obi and Datti Baba-Ahmed have submitted election petitions to the courts for adjudication, Keyamo argued that their conducts and utterances amount to a subversion of the processes they have instituted in court and a subversion of the Constitution and the laid-down processes for addressing disputes and grievances.
March 23.
In conclusion, Keyamo stated that the conduct and utterances of Peter Obi and Datti Baba-Ahmed are a build-up to something more sinister, and called on the DSS to arrest, interrogate, and charge both individuals to court for their conduct which amounts to incitement and treasonable felony.
