The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has threatened to call out her members and supporters for a nationwide uprising if the alleged unprovoked aggression by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Muhammadu Buhari’s Presidency continues unchecked.
‘’Nigeria belongs to all of us and we will not hesitate to call out our members, in their millions, should this aggression by the APC and the Buhari Presidency against our party is not curbed’’, PDP said in a statement in Abuja.
The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Kola Ologbondiyan, who issued the statement said the opposition party completely rejects ‘’the on-going clampdown, unlawful arrest and detention of our officials and members in various parts of the country by the Buhari Presidency and the APC ahead of the general election.
According to the PDP, ‘’we have also been informed of plots by the APC and the Buhari Presidency to track down and detain our critical stakeholders in other parts of the country, so as to put them out of circulation before and during the general elections.’’
However, the obviously angry party has unequivocally cautioned the Buhari Presidency and the APC to note that their alleged plot, as well as the continued detention of Ben Bako, is setting the stage for a vehement resistance by the people, which is capable of triggering crisis and disrupting the fragile peace in Kaduna State.
The PDP is therefore, demanding the immediate and unconditional release of Ben Bako by the Department of State Services (DSS), a secret police outfit without hurt or further harassment.
The PDP also stresses that she will hold the APC and the Buhari Presidency directly responsible should any harm, whatsoever, befall any of their leaders or members, particularly in Kaduna ahead of the elections.
‘’Kaduna State is a PDP stronghold and our party is not ready to stomach any further harassment of our leaders, officials and members; before, during and after the general elections.
‘’We therefore call on the National Peace Committee to note, as well as speak out against the provocations by the APC and the Buhari Presidency against our party, which are in total negation of the spirit and letters of the peace accord.
‘’This is highly provocative and a direct invitation to anarchy and a political crisis that is capable of derailing our democratic order. Our party is concerned over the unwarranted arrest of the Director of Media Committee of the Kaduna state PDP Governorship Campaign Organisation, Ben Bako, who has been detained by the DSS since last weekend.’’
Continuing, PDP said, ‘’we are aware that Ben Bako’s arrest is prelude to the planned clampdown of our campaign officials by the Buhari Presidency and the APC, whose aim is to instill fear in the polity, incite crisis and derail the electoral process, having realized that they have lost in this election ahead of the polls.
‘’It is instructive to state that the DSS has given no reason for Ben Bako’s arrest and detention, but only acted on the orders of the APC as expressed by the Assistant Publicity Secretary of Kaduna APC, Salisu Tanko Wusono, who openly stated that Bako deserves his ordeal.
‘’Further reports reaching us at the PDP from our Kaduna State chapter indicate that many of our leaders including former governors of Kaduna, Senator Ahmed Markarfi and Mukhtar Ramalan Yero; PDP State Chairman, Felix Hyat and the former Chairman, Yahaya Yaro Makama among others, have been listed for clamp down and are now being trailed by agents of the APC.
