The Department of State Services (DSS), has warned the National Chairman of Nigeria’s main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Iyorchia Ayu, against making unguarded remarks against it and other security agencies in the country.
The DSS disclosed that contrary to Ayu’s recent remarks, it remains neutral and transparent in carrying out its duties.
Peter Afunanya, the spokesman of the DSS gave the warning while reacting to a comment by Ayu, saying PDP would not use the secret police to harass Nigerians if it returns to power in 2023.
Afunanya described the PDP National Chairman’s comment as unjustified.
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In a statement, he stressed that the secret police, though would not join issues with politicians, however, frowned at Ayu’s comment, which is ‘considered unjustified, unfair, speculative and preposterous.’
The statement reads partly: ‘Having served variously as Senate President, Minister of Education, Industry, Internal Affairs and Environment, with full complements of security details, he knows the Service is never used to harass the people. And if he ever used the details for negative purposes (unknown to the Service), he should know that the times have changed.
‘Ayu knows that the Service is a frontline guardian of democracy and respects the rule of law in Nigeria. It is committed to the protection of the people.
‘While members of the public are urged to disregard Ayu’s statement, politicians are enjoined to desist from making unguarded utterances with tendencies to breach public order.’
Meanwhile, Iyorchia Ayu had on Sunday declared that the party was only open to ‘serious members’ who would build the party, not those who come to vie for positions alone under its platform.
He also asserted that that the PDP was the only serious party in the country at the moment.
Ayu made these assertions when he received a delegation led by a former Managing Director and Chief Executive of FSB International Bank, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, who paid him and members of the National Working Committee a courtesy visit at the National Secretariat, Abuja on Sunday.
AFRICA TODAY NEWS, NEW YORK