The federal government has raised the alarm over alleged plan by the opposition to disrupt next month’s general elections, and consequently cause the establishment of an Interim Government.
Specifically, it claimed the opposition was mobilising the Boko Haram fighters and the bandits to wreak the havoc.
The federal government also named the states targeted in this regard to include; Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Benue, Kano, Kaduna, Nasarawa, Plateau, Taraba and Zamfara.
Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, announced this yesterday while briefing journalists in Abuja.
PDP’s earlier allegation
The government’s position is coming barely one week after the PDP Presidential Campaign Organization, had raised similar fear arising from ‘intelligence report.’
The party alerted Nigerians of alleged plots by the All Progressives Congress-led government to frame up its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
National Publicity Secretary and PPCO Director of Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan had claimed: “PPCO intelligence available to it shows that agents of the APC have already perfected plots to brand some vehicle with Atiku Abubakar campaign colours, laden them with arms and ammunition and take them to Atiku Abubakar’s home in Abuja and Adamawa, where conniving security agents will pounce on them to embarrass our candidate on trumped up charges of gun running.”
‘Threat from opposition real’
But addressing journalists in Abuja on Monday, the minister said the opposition was feeling threatened by the “massive and warm reception that President Muhammadu Buhari has been receiving across the country,” since kick-starting his campaign for a re-election in next month’s poll.
He said: “As you are aware, Nigeria goes to the polls just 27 days from now. However, the Federal Government is in possession of credible intelligence to the effect that widespread violence being orchestrated by the opposition is threatening the 2019 general elections.
“You have definitely seen the massive and warm reception that President Muhammadu Buhari has been receiving across the country, compared to the thinning crowds that have been attending the opposition rallies.
“Having realized that their fortunes have dwindled badly ahead of the polls, the desperate opposition is orchestrating widespread violence with a view to truncating the elections, thus triggering a constitutional crisis that could snowball into the establishment of an interim government.”
“Before you accuse the government of crying wolf, let me tell you, gentlemen, that we have credible intelligence that armed bandits and Boko Haram insurgents have been mobilized to engage in massive attacks and other acts of violence in several states across the country, including Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Benue, Kano, Kaduna, Nasarawa, Plateau, Taraba and Zamfara.
“The Benue-based armed criminal group, led by Terwase AKWAZA, also known as Gana, has been commissioned to strike soft targets in Benue, Nasarawa, and Taraba States. In Kano State, a group of notorious miscreants have been mobilized by some prominent opposition leaders to provoke massive chaos before, during and after the elections.
“There is also an international dimension to the evil plan. Some armed mercenaries from Niger Republic have been contracted to attack top government functionaries, including state governors, across the
North-west between now and the elections,” he added.
the minister however assured that “the Federal Government is taking every possible measure to counter these evil plans by unpatriotic anarchists and ensure the success of the 2019 General Elections. The Administration’s commitment to a credible, free, fair and peaceful elections is unshaken.
“After all, according to the online encyclopaedia – Wikipedia – elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy has operated since the 17th century.
“We appeal to all Nigerians to be vigilant in the days ahead. We also appeal to the media to help in sensitizing members of the public on these observed threats, which are capable of disrupting the
elections. The punchline of our long running campaign on security – if you see something, say something – remains relevant, perhaps even more, at this time.
“Finally, all the relevant agencies under the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture will work together to ensure that Nigerians are alerted to the dangers posed to the forthcoming elections by unscrupulous, unpatriotic and desperate characters who will not hesitate to destabilize the country if they cannot achieve their inordinate ambition.”
Lai lied -PDP
Debunking the claim however, PDP spokesman, Mr. Ologbondiyan said, “we have noted the detailing of awareness of the said plots by Alhaji Lai Mohammed, which exposes manifest complicity at very high level.”
“In the light of this and the already displayed desperation by the APC ahead of the general elections, the PDP calls on Nigerians to hold President Buhari directly responsible for any escalation of violence in our nation.
“It is imperative to state that the PDP finds the claims of Alhaji Lai Mohammed, irresponsible and ludicrous. It is just a measure for building the ground for framing up and arrest of leading members of the opposition, as he has just confirmed our concerns,” he added.
The party’s spokesman further claimed that, “the APC and the Buhari Presidency, having come to the reality of their imminent and disgraceful loss at the polls have embarked on a strategy to foment crisis in our dear nation and blame the opposition.
“The PDP, as known to all Nigerians and the world, is a party that preaches and functions by peace. We have conducted rallies in many states and geo-political zones without a record of violence. The APC cannot make a similar claim of a peaceful rally in its few attempts at interacting with its members and the public.”
Describing the ruling party as violence-inclined, Ologbondiyan said, “its primaries ended in violence and multiple deaths, its rally in Lagos state ended in a fiasco and recorded fatalities, its Presidential candidate is known all over the world for inciting supporters against peace-loving Nigerians, when he said that baboon and dogs will soak in their blood.”