Ahead of the 2019 general election, National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, has accused the Federal Government of injecting crisis in states controlled by his party and forcing the governors to a deal.
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In a statement issued in Abuja, yesterday, Secondus alleged that the federal government has entered into an agreement with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the police to cripple PDP states and ensure they lose focus on the 2019 elections.
Secondus said the move which is aimed at causing severe and disabling damage to these states is part of the grand design to distract the PDP from its “focused journey to reclaim power and rescue this country from the inept rule of the APC.”
He singled out Bayelsa State which has had eight police commissioners in three years as well as Akwa Ibom and Ebonyi states where the police leadership were changed randomly.
“In most PDP states, despite the governors being the statutory chief security officers, police commissioners have set up parallel structures to undermine the security of the states just to satisfy their pay masters.
“They have resolved to inject crisis in PDP-controlled states and ensure that our governors who are refusing to play ball, are permanently distracted for their reelections. They have deployed huge cash in these states to either use Labour, or state legislators, to inject crisis, frighten the governors and force them to do a deal with them.”
Secondus also alleged that anti-graft agencies have been “co-opted into this nefarious project,” to make it look as if it is its anti- corruption programme.
He accused acting EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Magu, of being deeply involved in the reelection campaign of President Muhammadu Buhari and shielding Kano Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, over bribery allegations.
He said: “Nigerians should ask Magu, who is busy campaigning for president Muhammadu Buhari and wearing his campaign badge why only PDP governors are on their radar. Nigerians should ask EFCC why they are looking away at what happened in Kano. If Ganduje had been a PDP governor, would EFCC have kept mum? Nigerians should find out why is it that only PDP Finance commissioners are visitors to the EFCC while their APC counterparts, where corruption is obvious, are glorified?
“Only PDP governors are performing and carrying out people-oriented projects across the country, as can be witnessed by all but, they are the only ones being harassed by Magu and his team.
“We are aware, on good authority, that Magu has vowed to make the reelection of president Buhari his personal project even if Nigerians appear to have turned their back on them.”
The Presidency dismissed Secondus’ allegation and urged him to show respect to the party’s governors.
Presidential aide, Garba Shehu said: “President Buhari will not force anyone to support him. Rather, this is a shocking revelation of the PDP chairman’s rating of governors in their party. Is he, by this, suggesting that they are imbeciles?
“As party chairman, he must show better respect for their governors.”
In his reaction, acting EFCC spokesman, Tony Orilade told Daily Sun the Commission will be run based on facts and not sheer propaganda.
“This is not true. We are doing our jobs professionally. Because there will be elections next year doesn’t mean agencies of government will go to sleep.
“Elections will come and go but the country will remain. Let us not propagate propaganda. Let us base out statements on fact. Put the facts forward, at all times. There is nothing like that…,” said Orilade.
