PDP refutes APC’s accusation of imported mercenaries

• Parties trade blames over alleged IDPs intimidation

• NCEF disclaims Buhari’s endorsement

THE Kogi State Central Working Committee of the Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari Campaign Organization has accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of planning to eliminate some of its notable members in the state before the general election.

   However, the Special Adviser on Media and Strategy to the Governor, Jacob Edi, has urged the claimants to tender their findings to the security agencies, which would investigate and bring the culprits to book, noting that the PDP is not a bloodsucker.

   Also, a member of the House of Representatives from Borno State, Abdurrahaman Terab, has accused the ruling APC of “politics of blackmail, intimidation and humiliation of those living in IDPs camps, especially those who fled from Bama, Ngala and Kala/Balge councils, for supporting the PDP” and intending to do so at the forthcoming general elections.

   Terab told newsmen Sunday in Maiduguri: “Our supporters in the IDPs camps are horrendously and inhumanly maltreated by operators of the camps, only because they show support to our humble selves and the PDP.

   “We have recorded several cases of outright dismissal from the camps, refusal to give them food, medication and water, asking them to carter for themselves and not rely on relief materials donated by the state government.”

   In another development, the National Christian Elders Forum (NCEF) has dissociated itself from the endorsement of Buhari by the Northern Christian Leaders Eagle-Eyes Forum, describing them as “unaccredited and unrecognized.”

   The later forum, led by Pastor Aminchi Habu, had last Thursday in Abuja endorsed Buhari and Osinbanjo. However, in a statement in Abuja on behalf of NCEF Chairman, Solomon Asemota (SAN), its Secretary, Pastor ‘Bosun Emmanuel, advised Christians “to resist the temptation of putting personal interest above that of the Lord Jesus Christ, because such compromise has terrible eternal consequences.”

   Also reacting to the endorsement, the Public Relations Officer of CAN (19 Northern States and Abuja), Mr. Sunny Oibe, said that Buhari might have fallen into wrong hands because that group remains unknown.

   “There is no group like that which exists in Northern Nigeria because I am a northerner and a Christian. I want Buhari to note that those people are impostors. The church in the north is led by Arch Bishop Peter Jatto,” he said.

   “We have not and cannot endorse Buhari because he has not told us that he is sorry for his alleged involvement in the post-election violence of 2011. When you are desperate, you can fall into the hands of wrong people.”

   Addressing newsmen Sunday in Lokoja, coordinator of the organization, James Ocholi, alleged that informants within the PDP hinted of an impending disaster, adding that their moles in the PDP have been furnishing them with information on the plan.

   According to him, 16 of the bad boys from outside the state have been deployed for the job and arrived on Friday and moved to Kogi East by Saturday to start eliminating certain names already identified. He claimed that he, Senator Ohiare, Dr Alex Kadiri and a few others were on the list.

   In view of this, he urged everyone to be vigilant and alert the organisation as soon as they notice people of questionable character, as they have already alerted all relevant security agencies.

   Nevertheless, Edi said the PDP has performed and campaigns based on the dividends of democracy it has bequeathed to the electorate. He stated: “The issue of the coming election is about reality and illusion, PDP is about reality because the PDP-led Federal Government has performed and the state government under Governor Idris Wada has performed.” 

   He urged the APC sort out its internal problem because it would be unfair for anybody to hand over the affairs of Kogi State to APC that cannot even solve their own little internal problems.

   He added: “I think the police authority should arrest them immediately because if they have information that people have been imported into the state and refuse to give this information to the police, they are aiding and abetting crime.”

   However, Terab reminded the party that the resources employed to carter for the IDPs are not from anybody’s pockets but from government resources, which belong to the people. He added: “Our PDP campaign office opposite Government Girls Secondary School, Yerwa, was also vandalized by unscrupulous elements acting on the orders of the Governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima, on his arrival from Abuja on Tuesday, February 11.

   “Some volunteer youths who help out in the camps, especially the NYSC camp, were also threatened and blackmailed to be branded Boko Haram supporters if they showed support for us in the PDP. We have filed an official complain to the Department of State Security (DSS) and other relevant security agencies in this regard.”

   NCEF further called on politicians “to put the interest of the nation first in all forms of electioneering campaign and desist from acts that could be interpreted to imply desperate manipulation of the electorate for political power.

   “The National Christian Elders Forum wishes to state clearly that the only northern elders forum accredited and recognized by the Christian Association of Nigeria is the Northern States Christian Elders Forum (NOSCEF).

   “The elders forum hereby declares that neither CAN, NOSCEF nor NCEF at any time supported or approved of the action of this unaccredited group.