From Fred Itua, Abuja
Members of Coalition of Civil Society Organisations, Alliance for Democratic Sustenance (ADS), has raised the alarm over an alleged plot to sabotage the conduct of the general elections.
The group comprising 19 pro-democracy civil society organisations in a statement signed by its convener Mallam Yusuf Bulama, said its position became imperative following findings of schemes by some unscrupulous elements to impede the general elections because some of the key actors in the ongoing plot lost out during their party primary election.
The group urged President Muhammadu Buhari to wade in by calling on state apparatus to live up to their constitutional responsibility aimed at ensuring the smooth conduct of the general elections next month.
The group claimed that the arrowheads of the unfolding plot are aiming to influence the polls for their preferred candidate and should that fails an obnoxious agenda in collaboration with some state actors will be deployed to give their candidate the presidency.
It noted: “It has become imperative to address you today over a very fearful disturbing revelation we have stumbled upon which is capable of threatening our evolution to another democratic government and capable of shaking the very foundation of Nigeria and the African continent.
“We have impeccable information from highly placed and reliable sources of a clandestine meeting by some powerful and highly placed persons aimed at truncating the democratic transition to another democratically elected government in the country.
“Our findings indicate that the meeting exhaustively deliberated on the transition and general elections.
“It considered plans is to infiltrate INEC and get wiling tools who will assist them carry out their heinous plans. The plan, according to our sources indicate that a certain top military personnel has been contacted by these elements in their quest to frustrate the transition.
“The nocturnal meeting deliberated on every possible means to frustrate the elections and cause confusion in the polity that will create room for their plans to hijack the system. The plan is to make sure elections do not hold or are not successful and cause a constitutional crisis.
“We call on the government of president Buhari to decisively investigate the secret meetings. The international community should be aware of enemies of the country working to destabilize the nation’s democracy.”
