PDP expresses worry over plot against Senate President

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has expressed worry over alleged plot against the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki.
During the Senate plenary on Wednesday, 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.
In a statement yesterday 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.”
…another senator loses police security after criticising Police boss
A senator, Emmanuel Bwacha, has told his colleagues how police security detail was withdrawn after he criticised the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris.
Bwacha narrated his ordeal while contributing to an allegation raised by the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, that Idris was plotting to frame him.
He said the police officers abandoned him on a trip despite having duly requested their company.
“I came into this chamber this morning to raise a different matter. When I heard from the President of the senate of this dangerous plot, I was humbled. Virtually every one of us stands the danger of this sort. What we should do is to also behave as if we are in the understanding that the president doesn’t know. Let us also go to him that our democracy is collapsing under your watch,” he said.
“On Thursday, I was travelling from Abuja to Jos with policemen; I requested legitimately through a route that is notorious for kidnapping and killings. While getting to Jos, the commander of the mobile called them and said, withdraw from him and go to the nearest police station. Leave him alone. I stopped and asked, ‘what is the matter’? My simple crime is that I told the media that it is wrong for the IG not to appear before us.”
In response to questions from his colleagues on how he escaped, Bwacha said he managed to guard himself and drove himself back to Abuja thereafter.
“They told me that they needed to withdraw, that they had the instruction to leave me alone. I stopped there because I was afraid, I decided that let them leave so that they won’t know where I would lodge. So, I left them. They went to the nearest police station, abandoned me there. The next day, I managed to drive back to Abuja in fear.”
…allegation unbelievable, unverifiable, unfounded – Police
IGP accuses Saraki of diverting attention from probe of ‘hired assassins’
The Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, has denied the claims by the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki that he is plotting to frame him up, saying such allegation was unverifiable.
During the senate plenary yesterday, Saraki said he had been hinted of a plot by Idris to implicate him in the trial of some suspected cultists arrested in Ilorin.
He quoted his state Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, as telling him that the IG ordered that the suspects should be taken to Abuja where their statements would be altered to implicate him and the state government.
Speaking via a statement issued by Jimoh Moshood, police spokesman, Idris said there is “no iota of truth” in what Saraki said.
The statement said, the Nigeria Police Force is shocked at the unbelievable claims, unverifiable allegations and unfounded accusations being peddled against the IG by Saraki, accusing Idris of plot and strategies against him to settle scores.
The police however warned any person (s) or group(s) against interfering in the investigation process by action or utterances.
It further listed the six names of the cultist suspects arrested and paraded by the Kwara State Police Command on the 11th of May, 2018 while also claiming that the IG has no vested interest in the ongoing investigation into the several murders committed by the killer gang, other than ensuring that justice prevails in the matter.
He, however, admitted that the suspects are to be transferred to Abuja “to enable a thorough and discreet investigation into the crime”.
The IG refused to honour the invitation of the senate on three separate occasions. The upper legislative chamber had branded him an enemy of democracy, saying he is unfit to hold any public office.
... KWSG expresses concern over transfer of suspects to Abuja
By Bukola Adama
The Kwara State Government, yesterday, expressed concern over the transfer of four suspected cultists, arrested in the state, by the state police command to Abuja.
The Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Kwara State Ministry of Justice, Jimoh Mumini, made this known after an emergency Security Council meeting chaired by Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed at the Government House, Ilorin.
Jimoh noted that the offence for which the suspects were arrested are state offences which are punishable under the state laws.
He said that though the representative of the Commissioner of Police, Kwara State Command, Aminu Pai Saleh at the meeting said that the four suspects were transferred to Abuja for further investigation, the state Ministry of Justice has successfully prosecuted suspected cultists and killers at the State High Court under the penal code.
The DPP therefore urged the police to speed up their investigation and return the suspects to Kwara State so as to commence trial as done by the Ministry of Justice in respect to similar offences and offenders in the past.
Also, the Deputy Chief of Staff, Government House, Daniel Ogungbe noted that the concern of the state government was based on the urgency with which the suspects were transferred to Abuja.
He noted that the suspects should have been tried in the State rather than being transferred to the federal capital and expressed hope that the investigation and trial will not be hijacked for political purposes.
Earlier, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media and Communications, Dr Muideen Akorede noted that the council received briefing on cult related violence in the State and the outcome of the recent Ward and Local Government Congress of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the state.
He said the council commended the Nigerian Police on its swift arrest and prosecution of suspects in the tragic robbery attack on Offa.
… Youths protest in Ilorin
By Mumini AbdulKareem
Hundreds of youths under the aegis of Kwara Agenda staged a peaceful protest, yesterday to the Government House, Ilorin, alleging a plot to frame the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki in a criminal case.
Leader of the group, Taofiq Olateju told Governor Abdulfattah Ahmed that the plot was to link Saraki with a murder case involving one Lanre Mohammed Soliu, who was recently paraded by the police in the state over alleged involvement in cult related murders.
The protesters carried several placards with various inscriptions such as “Fresh plot to frame Saraki uncovered”, “stop intimidating Saraki”, “we stand with Saraki” among others.
Addressing Ahmed, Olateju raised the alarm that the suspect was being transported to Abuja while his crime was allegedly committed in Ilorin.
He added: “Our attention has been drawn to a fresh plot by the federal government to implicate the President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki in a murder case involving one Lanre Mohammed Soliu.
“It is on record that Lanre Mohammed Soliu was recently paraded alongside five others by the Kwara state police commissioner, Aminu Pai Saleh, as members of Aiye confraternity cult group. Soliu was specifically accused of killing one Yemi Bayero of Ago market, Ilorin. The offences which the suspect allegedly committed were carried out in Ilorin, Kwara State, and expectedly he’s supposed to be tried in a competent court of jurisdiction in the state.
“We are however, alarmed by a new twist to the whole issue. As we are speaking with you, Soliu is being transported to Abuja by men of Kwara State police command.
“This is not our concern, but the plot by the powers that be to torture and force the suspect to implicate Dr Bukola Saraki. We have it on good authority that the main purpose of transferring the self- confessed cultist to Abuja is to implicate the Senate President in the whole saga.
“As concerned youths of Kwara state, we want to appeal to men of conscience across the country to prevail on the federal government to stop intimidating and humiliating our God – sent leader, the President of the Senate. No Senate President in the history of this country has been so humiliated and vilified as Senator Bukola Saraki, for no just cause.
“Saraki is our leader and a law abiding citizen whose passion is to improve the lots of the common man. He should be left alone to continue the good job he and his colleagues are doing at the National Assembly.
“We are using this forum to warn those behind this fresh plot to frame and tarnish the image of our leader to retrace their steps. We have no doubt in our mind that this fresh plot like the ones before it shall fail woefully.
“Dr Bukola Saraki remains committed to the cause of the Nigerian masses, and their prayers and support shall always keep him going and ensure his victory over his adversaries.”
In his response, Governor Ahmed promised to deliver the message from the youths to the right quarters as he commended their maturity in carrying out the protest.