The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has expressed worry over alleged plot against Senate President Bukola Saraki.
During the Senate plenary on Wednesday, Mr Saraki said he was informed by the governor of Kwara State, Abdulfatah Ahmed, that the police allegedly planned to use suspected cultists to implicate him and the state government.
The police confirmed the suspects were moved, but warned Mr Saraki against jeopardising ongoing investigations.
In a statement on Wednesday by its spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan, PDP said it had taken judicious note of the development it viewed as a threat to democracy in Nigeria.
“These kind of treats are becoming a trend that must be addressed,” the party said.
“The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is deeply concerned over reports by Senate President Bukola Saraki of alleged plots by the Police to use suspected cultists, who have been in detention, to implicate him and the Governor of Kwara state, Abdulfatah Ahmed.
“The PDP has taken judicious note of assertions by the Senate President that the said plot is allegedly being hatched by the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Idris Ibrahim, “to settle scores” with the Senate over its recent declaration that he is not fit to hold public office.
“The PDP is alarmed by the trend of brazen assaults on the institutions of democracy, particularly the National Assembly and the judiciary, in addition to unrelenting attacks on dissenting voices, especially as we approach the 2019 general elections.”
Recalling its earlier warnings, the opposition party said there were plots to arrest, harass, detain dissenting voices and opposition members on trumped-up charges, as well as intimidate institutions of democracy and pave the way for a one-party state in Nigeria.
“The PDP believes this is one of those plots,” the party claimed.
The party cited other incidents like the invasion of the Senate chambers by thugs who disrupted proceedings and took away the mace and the violent attack on a High Court in Rivers state with guns, describing these as a threat to democracy.
It charged the National Assembly to “defend Nigeria’s democracy by sparing no energy in pursuing its resolution of engaging President Muhammadu Buhari on these assaults, to put in motion all legislative instruments available to it, to curtail all excesses in government before the situation finally gets out of hand.”
