The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bayelsa State yesterday raised alarm
over alleged plans by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to implicate and
arrest some of its members with strong and influential electoral support
base a day before the December 5 governorship election in the state.
The allegation was contained in a statement by the Director of Publicity
of the Restoration Campaign Organisation, Jonathan Obuebite, who claimed
that such PDP stalwarts would be arrested on trumped charges of arms
running but that it is a political move to destabilize the party and its
electoral chances.
He said by the impending arrest, the APC believed it would impact
negatively on the fortunes of the PDP in the affected localities.
Obuebite listed those to be arrested to include Hon. Bonny Ayah, Special
Adviser to the governor on Youth and Secretary of Bayelsa Volunteers, Hon.
Tolu Amatu, a staunch PDP stalwart in Ekeremor, Joshua Maciever and Pastor
Reuben Wilson. Maciever and Wilson are leaders of the party in Southern
Ijaw.
According to him, the APC has identified these PDP leaders as influential
with massive grassroots support who must therefore be taken out at all
cost before it can have its way in the strongholds they control in the
state.
“We have it on good authority that the APC plans to frame up these
individuals by planting weapons and ammunitions around their houses and
then invite the police and JTF operatives to search their houses with the
clear intention of implicating them in trump up charges of arm running”,
he stated.
The party has therefore called on the relevant security agencies to
investigate the alleged plot and apprehend those who may be behind it.
“The APC know too well that they can’t win in a free and fair contest and
that’s why they are doing everything to rig the election. But we are
confident that the authorities will be alive to their duties and ensure
protective measures are taken to forestall any moves by the APC to rig the
election”.