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Olalekan Adetayo, Abuja
The Coalition of United Political Parties on Thursday said it has uncovered an alleged plan by the Federal Government to implicate the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, in a case of alleged gunrunning and perpetuating electoral violence.
It claimed that the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki; Senator Dino Melaye and other opposition leaders are also targeted in the plot.
The coalition’s spokesman, Imo Ugochinyere, made the allegation in a statement made available to journalists.
He said, “Elements of the ruling party have commenced the branding of some vehicles with the colours of the opposition bearing the photos of these opposition leaders and have acquired arms which will be hidden in the vehicles and the vehicles will be driven to join the campaign convoy of the opposition consensus candidate in Kwara, Kogi and Adamawa and other parts of the country where they have also selected.
“The vehicles will eventually be searched by the police and the arms recovered.
“Their plot will include mobilising thugs and causing violence on the day of such recovery so as to tag the opposition as violent.
“The APC leaders are aware Nigerians now know them for their violence which has trailed their campaigns nationwide.
“Their internal crisis and ‘grab-power-by-all-means’ attitude have catalysed their rejection by Nigerians and they desire to break all the laws to cast the opposition in bad light.
“On poll day, part of their plot include also to use more of these branded vehicles loaded with thugs to disrupt voting and collation in
some centres and blame the opposition for violence and disruption of the process which will lead to mass arrest of opposition leaders to give the ruling party advantage to rig and deny the people the opportunity to give their preferred candidates their mandate.”
Ugochinyere said a special security unit being coordinated by a minister had already been set up and has commenced work to execute the plot.
He added, “The security agencies are hereby put on notice that Nigerians will not accept any breach of security being orchestrated by elements of the ruling party disguised in whichever form they choose.
“Nigerians are put on notice to be watchful and vigilant to see through the evil plans of the ravenous group of rulers we have in our country today. They should not be deterred. Their songs of war and plot to rig the elections will be resisted. APC is already in morbid fear of losing elections and all their shenanigans are like the last futile kicks of a dying horse.”
The opposition spokesman also called on Nigerians to remain firm and resolute “as there are yet many members within the ruling party and in very high positions that are fed up with the government and daily supply us with relevant leaks and information to counter all their evil plans.
“A lot more of the information are being utilised quietly to neutralise them. This government has failed and Nigerians are no longer in doubt that they are going out on February 16.”
