‘Opposition plots to truncate polls’

Opposition leaders are plotting to truncate the forthcoming elections and throw 10 states into chaos, the Federal Government alleged yesterday.

The plot, said the government, is to create an atmosphere of confusion to pave the way for the enthronement of an interim government.

Information, Culture & Tourism Minister Lai Mohammed, who raised the alarm, declined to reveal the identities of those behind the plot.

According to the minister, some armed bandits and Boko Haram insurgents have been hired to launch massive attacks on more than 10 states.

The states are: Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Benue, Kano, Kaduna, Nasarawa, Plateau, Taraba and Zamfara. The minister alleged that some armed mercenaries from Niger Republic were hired to attack top government officials, including governors, in the Northwest.

According to him, the government was issuing the alert “not out of any panic or any partisanship”.

He assured that everything will be put in place to have the elections conducted everywhere.

Mohammed, who made the disclosures at a press conference in Abuja, said the alert was based on credible intelligence.

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 realised 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.”

Mohammed said the government uncovered plans to unleash mayhem on more than 10 states, mostly in the Northwest and in the Northeast.

He said the wanted militia leader in Benue State, Terwase Akwaza (a.k.a. Gana), had been engaged to attack soft targets in Benue, Nasarawa, and Taraba states

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He added: “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 mobilised 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 mobilised 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.”

The minister, however, assured the nation that the government was doing its best to address the security threats.

But he pleaded with Nigerians to be vigilant in the days ahead of the poll.

Mohammed said: “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 credible, free, fair and peaceful elections is unshaken. After all, according to the online encyclopedia – 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 sensitising members of the public on these observed threats, which are capable of disrupting the elections.

“The punch line 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 destabilise the country if they cannot achieve their inordinate ambition.”

He expressed regrets that some opposition leaders were ready to cooperate with Boko Haram to disrupt the general elections.

Mohammed said: “I think every election year, Boko Haram has always threatened to attack people and make the conduct of elections impossible. But this time around, it gets a bit more worrisome because some unpatriotic elements are even ready to use Boko Haram for these attacks.

“What I can assure you is that the Federal Government is up to the task and everything will be put in place to ensure that elections are held everywhere. Actually, that is the whole purpose of this press conference.

“We want to alert the nation that we are aware of these threats, we are in possession of credible intelligence that this is being planned.”

Despite promptings from reporters, the minister declined to disclose the sources of the credible intelligence.

He added: “I have been asked that if we made such serious allegations, they should be backed by facts and figures. But I do not know anywhere in the world where intelligence sources will reveal its sources. But, you see, it is serious enough if the government came out to say that it has received credible intelligence.

“And that is the difference between the government and the opposition. We have an obligation to protect lives and property; we have an obligation to ensure that there is stability in the country.

“When we made these allegations, which we called credible intelligence, it is because they are real.”

The minister insisted that the forthcoming elections will hold in every part of the country.

Mohammed said: “We are committed to holding the elections. And the fact that we are conscious of this intelligence means that we are also on top of the matter. We do not want anybody to panic, we will take all measures to ensure that elections are held. Mr. President has said clearly that the elections will be free, fair and credible.

“When the government is in possession of this type of credible intelligence, it is like you are nipping in the bud whatever is going to be likely consequences of this type of thing.

“The fact that we are aware of this information serves two purposes: we are able to alert and sensitise the public and at the same time it enables us to take preemptive actions. What those preemptive actions will be is not what you discuss in the open.”

He explained that the Lake Chad Commission was already looking into plans to hire armed bandits in some neighbouring countries to attack some states.

“You must appreciate the fact that we work closely with Cameroon, Niger Republic, Chad and other members of the Lake Chad Commission. I can assure you that at that level, the matter is being taken care of,” he said.

Responding to a question, Mohammed said there was no need for panic, debunking insinuations that the alarm was meant to frame up some key opposition figures.

He said: “We are raising these allegations or alerting the people not out of any panic or any partisanship because we are committed clearly to peaceful elections, we are committed to maintaining law and order in the country and we believe elections can be held, would be held fairly and they will be credible.

“I think that is rather trivialising the whole issue, we are talking of serious intelligence some of which came from outside the country. We are not out to frame up anybody.”

The Social Democratic Party (SDP) yesterday hit back at the minister for alleging that opposition parties plan to truncate the forthcoming general elections.

Its National Publicity Secretary Alfa Mohammed said the party was not surprised that the present administration has been shifting the burden of its inability to address major problems confronting the country.

He challenged the minister to arrest those opposition parties identified by the government for sponsoring Boko Haram insurgents.

Mohammed said: “We are not surprised; they have always been shifting the burden of their inability to address the major problems which they were elected to address. Why can’t they arrest those oppositions sponsoring Boko Haram members that they have identified?”