EKO HOT BLOG reports that the presidential campaign councils (PCC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party have reacted to the alarm raised by the Department of State Services (DSS) over plots of an interim national government.
While the APC and the PDP have backed the DSS and have requested the agency to be tough with plotters of such plans, the Labour Party has insisted that it is not intimidated by any so-called alarm raised by the agency.
The DSS on Tuesday disclosed that it has identified some key individuals plotting to scuttle the May 29 handover to a new government and force an interim government in Nigeria.
According to the DSS in a statement by its spokesperson, Peter Afunanya, the plot by the identified individuals is to set aside the constitution and undermine civil rule, sponsor mass protests as well as plunge the country into an avoidable crisis in order to make way for the planned interim government.
However, in its reaction, the APC campaign council told The Punch that the council would not allow any unconstitutional plot to disrupt the swearing-in of the President-elect, Bola Tinubu.
The Director of Strategic Communications for the APC PCC, Idris Mohammed, said “The APC PCC is aligned with the position of the DSS, which we believe is doing its job. If this statement is coming directly from the DSS itself, it means that it is not an empty allegation. In any case, we believe the security agencies are also there to deal with this kind of situation. That is why they are there. Their duty is to thwart any threat against the Nigerian nation. They should react to it and go the extra mile to pin down those also responsible.
“We are seeing a pattern which we believe the DSS is also seeing. Otherwise, you cannot as far as call for a coup d’etat and pretend to still believe in democracy.”
Also the Chief Spokesman for the PCC, Festus Keyamo, said he was glad the agency was the one that made the revelation.
Keyamo submitted that ” The DSS is the super spy of the nation and has a duty to do their work. As you can see, their statement confirmed the alarm I raised earlier about incitement and treasonable felony. This is just to confirm what the APC PCC brought to the notice of the public last week.
“Therefore, it is good that the DSS is even the one raising the alarm about the subversive activities of these people so that when they arrest anybody, no one should start screaming ‘persecution.’ These are people who are too young to know what we passed through at the hands of a military regime. They will see the very thing they think they are fighting against in a military regime. The constitution will be suspended. Fundamental human rights would be non-existent. These kids really don’t understand the gravity of what they are trying to do.”
Similarly, the PDP Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Ibrahim Abdullahi, while reacting also said “They should immediately go after such persons because it is the right thing to do. What are they still waiting for? The interim national government is alien to our constitution and there is no basis for anybody no matter how highly placed to contemplate it.
“Elections have been successfully held both nationally and sub-nationally. Those that are being disputed are already before the courts. So why should anyone come up with this at this material time? The DSS owes Nigerians a duty to act and the time to do so now.
“They should be arrested for treason because that is what it is. Arresting those concerned will act as a deterrent to those with a negative and dangerous mindset for our country.”
It was learnt that the camp of the Labour Party kicked at the DSS saying it would not be intimidated by the threat of the DSS.
The Chief Spokesman for the Labour Party PCC, Yunusa Tanko stated that “If truth be told, the LP and Nigerians cannot be intimidated. When the DSS was supposed to have issued a caution, it didn’t do it. It failed to do it and that was what gave impetus to those who wanted to derail the democratic system and run away with it.
“Let me give you an example. When the LP members and supporters were being intimidated in Lagos and denied the right to vote, where was the DSS statement? Our members were maimed and also killed during the campaign period, and the DSS issued no warning. When people were being ethnically profiled at a particular point, where was the DSS? When ballot boxes and the mandate of the people were stolen, they were nowhere to be found.
“Is it after all these heinous crimes have been committed against the people that the DSS is coming out to roar like a lion? It is either the DSS has been compromised or it is just not interested in defending the state. It is also bad enough that the people who make up the state are completely been ignored.
“For us, this particular statement from the security agency is more or less like a threat to the sovereignty of the people. But if it has verifiable facts and evidence as regards those who are planning to subvert the will of democracy, they should not hesitate to bring them out as quickly as possible. But not to intimidate the people when they are trying to fight for their rights.”
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