Coalition of United Political Parties says APC plans to implicate Atiku in gun running matter

NIGERIA'S Coalition of United Political Parties (Cupp) has alleged that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is planning to implicate the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in a case of alleged gunrunning.

On February 16, Nigerians go to the polls in what is looking like a tight two-horse race between incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari of the APC and Alhaji Abubakar of the PDP. With the margins very tight, both parties are stepping up their campaigns and as things get desperate, the political temperature is rising.

Yesterday, the Cupp, which is the umbrella body for all of Nigeria's political parties said that the government is planning to implicate Alhaji Abubakar, the former vice president in a case of alleged gunrunning and perpetuating electoral violence. It also claimed that other leading PDP politicians targeted in the plot include senate president Senator Bukola Saraki and Kogi West's Senator Dino Melaye.

Cupp spokesman, Imo Ugochinyere, 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. 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 polling day, part of their plot includes using 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.”

According to Mr Ugochinyere, a special security unit being coordinated by a minister had already been set up and has commenced work to execute the plot. He 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 thus supply the Cupp with relevant leaks and information to counter all their evil plans.

“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.

Their songs of war and plot to rig the elections will be resisted. The APC is already in morbid fear of losing elections and all their shenanigans are like the last futile kicks of a dying horse,” Mr Ugochinyere added.