#FreeBubaGaladima: PDP alleges arrest of Galadima, demands release

Buba-galadima

Spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Kola Ologbondiyan, has alleged that a spokesman of the Atiku campaign organisation, Buba Galadima, has been arrested by operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS).

Ologbondiyan, in a tweet on Sunday, said that armed security operatives whisked Galadima away.

He did not say where and when the incident happened.

“Nigerians and the world over should know this— Alhaji Buba Galadima has just been kidnapped by masked security operatives, his whereabouts is unknown. Buhari/APC are hell bent on destroying our hard earned democracy. We will never be cowed, the will of the people MUST prevail,” he tweeted.

Spokesman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign, Festus Keyamo, had called for Galadima’s arrest “for attempting to release fake news on the victory of Atiku.”

The DSS has denied arresting Galadima.

However, the PDP, in a statement signed by its national chairman, Uche Secondus on Sunday, demanded his release.

“I call for the immediate release of Mr. Buba Galadima by the Department of State Security, even as I remind the DSS and other security agencies, that their oath of allegiance was sworn to Nigeria and not to the All Progressive Congress or President Muhammadu Buhari.

“We as a party condemn this arrest in the strongest possible terms. Buba Galadima is a patriot. His patriotism has been previously and strongly highlighted by various Nigerians, including President Muhammadu Buhari.

“What crime has he committed? I answer my own question and say none. Mr. Galadima is constitutionally guaranteed a right of freedom of speech and freedom after the speech.

“The nation is currently boiling with the deaths caused by thugs of the All Progressives Congress, APC. Not one of these thugs has been arrested by the DSS. The nation was embarrassed by drone images of bullion vans laden with cash driving into the home of the National Leader of the APC and no action has been taken by the law enforcement authorities. Yet a patriot and pro-democracy activist is arrested.

“We cannot be hoodwinked by the puppeteering of the DSS by the APC. It is obviously no coincidence that the APC Presidential Campaign Council called for the arrest of Mr. Galadima at 12 noon today (Sunday the 24th of February, 2019) and the arrest was duly effected by the DSS an hour later,” the statement read in part.