The opposition Social Democratic Party, SDP, has cried out over an alleged plot by Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello to arrest its leaders with false terrorism charges.
In a statement signed by Director of New Media Muri/Sam Campaign Council Isaiah Davies Ijele on Wednesday, the SDP alleged that Bello is planning to utilize illegal governmental means to arrest major stakeholders and leaders of the party by branding them as terrorists.
Parts of the statement read: “According to a reliable source familiar with Governor Yahaya Bello’s alleged plot, he is desperate to salvage his failing administration and intends to frame and arrest key leaders of our party, such as the Director General, Muri/Sam Campaign Council, Sheikh Jibril Ibrahim, the Director General of Youths Mobilization, Hon. Ahmed Attah, and other esteemed members of the Muri/Sam Campaign Council.
“Infact, in a bid to execute his plans, he has secured a court order in order to arrest them. We feel it is essential to bring this information to the attention of the General public. We firmly assert that any attempt to detain our leaders will be met with resistance from the citizens of Kogi State, who are eager for a change in governance.
“The source also revealed that an FCT Anti Kidnap team, led by the OC Anti-Kidnapping, FCT Command, and his thugs has been contracted to carry out these deceitful actions.”
The SDL appealed to President Bola Tinubu, the National Security Adviser, the Inspector General of Police, and all relevant security agencies to take swift action and stop Bello and his associates from proceeding with the alleged plot.
“We assert that elections should not be treated as acts of war or matters of life and death. We trust that the relevant authorities will intervene and uphold justice in this matter” the statement added.
Reacting, spokesperson for the All Progressives Congress, APC, Governorship Campaign Council, Kingsley Fanwo dismissed the allegation, noting that it was another attention-seeking, unimaginatively concocted lie aimed at creating panic and preemptively covering the opposition party’s satanic plans against the Kogi voters.
” This is another tempo of falsehood from the bottle-size overambitious group. Terrorism is a very serious national issue that shouldn’t be ordinarily trivialised by any group, no matter how confused. But the SDP would stop at nothing to push their noses in front as serious contenders when they know they stand no chance whatsoever in the forthcoming Governorship Election,” Fanwo said.
Fanwo called on security agencies to invite those behind the allegation to provide proofs.