The Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, AYCF, has condemned the remand of Senator Ali Ndume in Corrections Centre over former Pension boss, Abdulrasheed Maina’s bail.
The forum argued that the same treatment was not meted out to Senator Eyinaya Abaribe when Nnamdi Kanu jumped bail.
In a statement signed by its National President, Alh. Yerima Shettima, it said as a youth group from the North, they found the remand in prison of Senator Ali Ndume as unfair.
The forum, therefore, called on President Buhari to intervene and to put an end to what they called embarrassing selectivity against one of the North’s exceptionally-vocal, fearless and pro-masses members of the National Assembly.
The forum noted that in as much as they were not denying whether Abdurrashid Maina committed offence or not, they believe it amounts to setting a bad example if Senator Abaribe – who stood surety for alleged terrorist, Nnamdi Kanu is still walking the streets as a free man.
The youth said that they cannot fathom why Senator Abaribe, who secured bail for IPOB’s Kanu whose action has since been declared treasonable and terror to the country (and still on the run) has never ever been sanctioned for standing surety.
AYF noted that in the interest of equity, fairness and balance, Senator Abaribe should be immediately arrested and remanded in prison too, until IPOB’s Kanu turns himself in.
The forum observed that both Ndume and Abaribe are Senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and therefore Abaribe cannot be said to be higher in status than Ndume.
The statement explained that both are lawmakers by the national constitution and the votes of their constituents, adding that no one citizen is above the other.
It said that Ndume’s case is such that Maina is still a suspect being tried by the law and no sentence has yet been handed down by any court of competent jurisdiction, while such cannot be said of Nnamdi Kanu and his treason case.
The youth noted that it is disturbing that this is happening to Ndume at a moment democratic power is mainly in the hands of people from Ndume’s immediate constituency.
The forum observed, “It is this kind of development that gives room for people to accuse the Federal Government of selective application of justice.”
