From Kemi Yesufu, Abuja
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Caucus in the House of Representatives has raised alarm over what it described as secret agenda to arrest scores of PDP functionaries as the 2019 elections draw near.
Spokesman of the PDP, Dayo Adeyeye, issued a statement, last Wednesday, alleging that the federal government has plans to arrest 50 members of the opposition.
The Caucus in a statement issued by the Deputy Minority Leader, Chukwuka Onyema and entitled “2019: All Progressives Congress (APC) Government’s Desperation And Agenda For Politicised Arrests,” said, despite the ruling party and the Federal Government denying the existence of such a plan, there were signs PDP stalwarts have already been listed for arrest.
Linking what it said were “politicised arrests” to growing disappointments in the APC’s change agenda and “the populace’s increasing evidence of official hypocrisy,” the caucus expressed disappointment that an institution like the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was part of the agenda.
The statement read in part: “It is one of those things that the APC government does not want any citizen to talk about at the moment but with ruthless efficiency and a devious Machiavellian determination, the APC government is now using the threat of arrest to intimidate and coerce the opposition.
“Although their party is trying to deny it, the APC government, lacking in genuine democratic ideals and seeing the failure of deceptive change, has begun a desperate programme to bludgeon democratic opposition by arresting key figures in various states.
“In spite of their deceptive denial, we know that they are starting their series of politicized arrests from the North Central Zone, with an audacious plan for the arrest and continuous harassment of scores of PDP loyalists in other zones before 2019
“Their very frantic preparation for 2019 has become really saddening when such agenda ropes in an institution like the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for strong-arm tactics, media trial and timed annihilation of the opposition in desperate preparation for 2019.
“The question needs to be asked again: Has this APC government got the conscience to confess that their ‘Change’ magic wand has not worked”?
Onyema who said Buhari has failed in the area of economic management, further stated that the president has treated allegation of corruption with levity, to the amazement of the public.
” A minister in the ‘Change’ government gleefully announced how they got a website for N700 million; trillions spent in the past two years have not impacted positively on people’s lives and there are fears that their usual shoddy implementation could consolidate poverty across the land.
“An unprecedented woeful handling of the economy has resulted into worsening mass depression and unemployment but an insensitive APC Minister claims that they have created seven million jobs as many youth register for their peanut distribution programme while the high-paying jobs at Central Bank and other places are reserved for APC functionaries’ children.