DSS Lambasts PDP Chairman Over Utterances

For claiming that his party would not use the Department of State Services operatives to harass people upon taking over power in 2023, the National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party, Dr. Iyorcha Ayu, has been cautioned to stop maligning the frontline security agency.

Dr. Ayu, who is upbeat his party will upset the ruling APC in next year’s poll, reportedly declared at a political function in Owerri that his party being the custodian of democratic values, would respect people’s right at all times and would not use security agents to harass and intimidate innocent citizens when it takes over from APC next year.

But Ayu’s unprovoked claim has angered the authorities of the DSS, which describe the declaration as an attempt to malign the service that provided security for him when he was Senate president and minister for education, industries, internal affairs and environmental at different times.

The DSS, which responded to Ayu through its Spokesman, Dr. Peter Afunanya, said the PDP national chairman had shot himself in the foot by ascribing a wrong notion to the service, which sheperded him for many years as a top-ranking officer of government without infringing on anybody’s right.

The statement made available to ABN TV on Monday night, said: “The attention of the Department of State Services (DSS) has been drawn to an unwarranted statement made by the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Iyorchia Ayu against security agencies including the Service.

“The Party Chairman, while speaking at an event on 23rd February, 2022 in Owerri, Imo State, was quoted to have said that his party would not use the SSS to harass the people when they take over Aso Rock in 2023. Though the Service restrains itself from joining issues particularly with politicians, it wishes to state its disapproval of such statement, which is considered unjustified, unfair, speculative and preposterous.

“Except to malign and incite the people against it, the Service questions the rationale behind such an unprovoked description of it by Chief Ayu who had variously benefitted from it and indeed the State. 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. Dr 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 Dr Ayu’s statement, politicians are enjoined to desist from making unguarded utterances with tendencies to breach public order.

“Overall, the Service prefers that it is left out of any political fray as it is committed to maintaining usual neutrality and transparency in the discharge of its mandate,” Dr. Afunanya, said.

“For the avoidance of doubt, it does not shield its personnel who offend its rules and in fact, laws of the land, from disciplinary action, thus the untruthfulness of his statement. The DSS has undoubtedly made profound sacrifices for the existence and unity of the country and will continue to, despite deliberate attacks on it.