By Saawua Terzungwe
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Sunday claimed that it has uncovered a plot by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and “the cabal” in the Presidency to use compromised security agencies and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to invite, arrest and detain Senate President, Bukola Saraki, and Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu.
The PDP in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan said the pressure by the Presidency for the reconvening of the Senate “is out of a sinister motive” and not for any emergency in the approval of the budget of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the 2019 election.
The party said information available to it showed that contrary to claims by the APC and the Presidency, INEC submitted the budget to the presidency since February, 2018, only for the Presidency to submit it to the National ‎Assembly in July, when lawmakers were already going on recess; with a view to enmesh it in a needless controversy.
“The fresh plot to detain the two presiding officers is part of renewed design to keep them out of circulation, ahead of Senate resumption, so as to enable the heavily induced APC senators, who are now in the minority, to throw up two of their members as Senate President and Deputy Senate President respectively on the excuse that Saraki and Ekweremadu failed to show up for proceedings in the Senate.
“The PDP notes that the new plot to cage Saraki and Ekweremadu, in devilish rehash of the Tuesday July 24, 2018 hostage-taking and invasion of their official residences by security agencies is coming after the August 7, 2018 failed attempt to use security forces to take control of the leadership of the Senate.
“Apart from plots to arrest and detain Saraki and Ekweremadu, the PDP has also been made aware of plans to use the EFCC and security forces to clamp down on their family members, including their wives and siblings as well as close associate, all in the effort to weaken their resolve.
“Moreover, investigations by the PDP further confirm that the insistence of the APC-led Federal Government on the emergency reconvening of the National Assembly, ostensibly to consider INEC’s budget for the 2019 election, is part of APC’s thicker plot to execute their premeditated ‘coup’ on the leadership of the Senate.
“Furthermore, the PDP counsels Acting President Yemi Osinbajo to stop acting saint, as Nigerians are aware that he is part and parcel of the actors behind the sordid developments playing out in the National Assembly,” the party said.