The Olusegun Obasanjo’s group, Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) has alleged that plan has been concluded by the government of President Muhammadu Buhari to unseat the Senate President, Bukola Saraki and speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara on Tuesday, January 29.

At a news briefing today, Sunday, the first national spokesman of the group, Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, said that the APC led Federal government is of the belief that Tuesday is their best and last chance to effect the changes as their control of the judiciary will be put to use to ensure that there is no reversal of justice for the present occupants.

“The APC is ready to do whatever it takes to destroy the very fulcrum of our constitutional democracy on Tuesday and have vowed, it is tomorrow or never. The judicial coup which they believed was supposed to be more difficult went very easily beyond their imagination hence the need to complete the takeover of the National Assembly immediately so that the distraction of the election campaigns will be put to use.

“They have also resolved that the government will make some big positive announcements tomorrow being Monday, 28th January so as to deflect the minds of Nigerians. Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, Chibuike Amechi and Babatunde Fashola have been saddled with the responsibility of choosing the issue for announcement by the government.

“The plot will see the criminal announcement of Sen. Ahmmed Lawan as the Senate President, Sen. Hope Uzodimma as the Deputy Senate President and Sen. Godswill Akpabio as the Senate Leader. While in the House of Representatives, Hon Gbajabiamila will be announced as the Speaker of the House and Hon Abdulmimin Jibril will be announced as the Deputy Speaker. The decision on who will be the House leader will be resolved by the trio of Bola Tinubu, Adams Oshiomhole and Sen. Gorge Akume.

“The arrowheads of this treasonable plot in the National Assembly include Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege, Sen. Abdullahi Adamu, Ali Ndume, George Akume and Kabiru Gaya. While the mebers of the House who are part of this plot to destroy democracy include Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, Hon. Abdulmimin Jubril and Hon. Agbonayima.

“To ensure the plot goes successfully, the Federal Government has mapped out the sum of $70, 000 for each Senator and $40, 000 for each House member for what it called welfare since majority of them will be compelled to be in town suddenly. The money for the bribes have already been released to Senator Lawan and Hon. Gbajabiamila for onward distribution to their members as they return. The money amounting to $15million ($8million for the House and $7 million for the Senate) was sourced from NNPC, CBN, NDDC, NPA, NIMASA, a commercial bank and a company the owner of whom is a member of the cabal.

“Nigerians are hereby put on notice that these coupists are plotting that Sen. Saraki, the Senate President, Sen Ike Ekweremmadu the Deputy Senate President, Sen. Ben Bruce and Sen. Sen. Dino Melaye, Biodun Olujimi, Hon. Dogara, Kingsley Chinda, Nnena Ukeje among others would be stopped by security agents from gaining entrance into the National Assembly. Thugs have been mobilized from Plateau, Kwara and Kogi to mount protest at the gates of the National assembly and have the approval to attack and disperse any group that come to hold a counter rally.”

“I wish to put it on record that the President, Muhammad Buhari, is my personal friend and a friend of the state (Ebonyi). I have much respect for the office of the president.”

A statement by Chief Emmanuel Igwe, who is the Chairman of Strategy Committee of Divine Mandate for Governor Umahi’s campaign organization, quoted the governor as saying that he had great respect for the president, and that he had promised to mobilize 2000 PDP members to come out and receive the president during his campaign stopover in Abakaliki, the state capital, this week.

“The governor wishes Buhari and his entourage a happy stay as APC Presidential Campaign Council visits Ebonyi on the 30th of January, 2019.”

Governor Umahi, who doubles as Chairman of South East Governors’ Forum, was also quoted as saying that he had been under pressure to support the re-election of “my president by APC bigwigs especially the party chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, Chibuike Amaechi just to mention but a few who come under various guises that the APC has no interest in Ebonyi guber race.

The statement said that the has been too magnanimous to the APC by donating the sum of five million naira to its gubernatorial candidate, Senator Sonni Ogbuoji to enable him print campaign posters “and promised to mobilize two thousand people that will welcome Mr President on the proposed campaign rally.”

“If any politician approaches any of you to cause violence, ask him to bring his child so that you will execute the plot together. Politicians are fond of using the children of the masses for nefarious activities while their children are either schooling somewhere, or are safe abroad.

“No life is better than the other. The life of a rich man’s son is no more precious than the life of a poor man’s son. Also, the life of an educated person’s son is of equal value as the life of an illiterate’s son.”

These were the advice of the Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El Rufai, who raised alarm that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is planning to disrupt the coming general elections because of its fear of an imminent defeat.

The Governor, who spoke today, Sunday, at a stakeholders’ meeting at Kudan town in Kaduna, cited unnamed intelligence reports, however, said that the security agents are already on the alert to ensure peaceful elections and to apprehend any person that may want to cause a breach of the law.

“As a leader, it is my responsibility to tell you what is being planned because, there are a lot of PDP bigwigs in Kudan local government and they may try to disturb the peace of this area,” El Rufai argued.

The Governor advised the people to resist those who plan to disrupt the peaceful conduct of the elections even as he assured that government will provide adequate security on the election day for people to vote candidates of their choices.

El-Rufai said that politics is about convincing people to follow their conviction, saying: “ politics is about conviction. There is no compulsion in politics. Siblings of the same family can vote for different parties or candidates. It is our duty as government to ensure security so that people can exercise their franchise.”

The governor reiterated that his choice of Dr. Hadiza Balarabe as his running mate has nothing to do with religion or ethnicity but her competence.

“Ethno-religious considerations have always informed the choice of deputy governors since 1992 but it has not brought peace in Kaduna state.”

The governor said that it is time to discard politics of religion and ethnicity and embrace a merit-based system that will bring progress and development in the country.

Kudan is the hometown of Isa Ashiru, the PDP governorship candidate.

Similarly, Hunkuyi which is the headquarters of Kudan local government area, is the hometown of Senator Suleiman Othman Hunkuyi, El Rufai’s estranged political ally who is the senatorial candidate of the PDP.

The Anambra State Government again has described the Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo endorsement of the Presidential candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar at the time President Muhammadu Buhari was performing the inauguration of Zik Mausoleum as a slap on late Nnamdi Azikiwe.
”We are particularly angered by the fixing of the said meeting on the same date that President Muhammadu Buhari came to inaugurate Zik Mausoleum in Onitsha. Zik was a great son of Igboland and pioneer patron of Ohanaeze, a nationalist of repute whose past cannot be ignored by any true Igbo man.
”For Ohanaeze leadership to have not send representation for the inauguration let alone holding a meeting on Jan. 24 the same day Zik Mausoleum was inaugurated was bad.”
The Secretary to Anambra State Government, Professor Solo Chukwudebelu, who made these points at a news briefing held at Agulu Lake Hotel in Anaocha Local Government Area, said that Anambra state vehemently opposed to the endorsement of Atiku and asked Ohaneze Ndigbo to rescind its decision.
Professor Solo Chukwudebelu was disturbed that Ohanaeze did not even consult the State government before the decision was taken, adding: “as a constituent member of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Anambra State was not represented in the ‘imeobi’ meeting where the acclaimed decision was reached.”
Professor Chukwudebelu, who was flanked by the state commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, C Don Adinuba; Special Adviser, political to the governor, Chief Ifeatu Obi-Okoye and Mrs. Sally Mbanefo, advised Ohanaeze to remain apolitical.
“As All Progressives Grand Alliance government, we have our presidential standard bearer who we are supporting, yet we are not lording it over all the residents of the state to join the decision of the state.
”People should be allowed to make their choice because we are in democracy, and so that is the path we want Ohanaeze leadership to follow.”
Adinuba who responded to questions from reporters said that since the advent of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, all political endorsement made had adversely affected the development of the Igbos.
He, however, advised Chief Nwodo to in the best interest of the people, rescind the endorsement of Atiku and Obi.
The government’s spokesman said that though the state was not contemplating pulling out of Ohaneze Ndigbo, but that its open condemnation of the endorsement was to set the record straight.
Describing the action as distasteful, Adinuba said that if urgent step is not taking, the development might led to a crack in existing unity among the Ohanaeze body.
Source: NAN.