The Peoples Democratic Party National Campaign Council (PDPNCC) for Edo state governorship election has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to question a former national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole and Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari over a leaked video.
There is an 16-second trending video wherein Oshiomhole and Gambari were heard discussing through a passage in the Villa.
In the video, the former APC chairman was heard saying, “arrest them, deal with them”.
Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, in Abuja, the Secretary, PDP Publicity Sub-Committee for the election, Kola Ologbondiyan alleged that Oshiomhole and Gambari were discussing how to arrest certain individuals ahead of the Edo election.
“Nigerians were alarmed by the video in which Oshiomhole was seen emphatically urging the Chief of Staff to Mr. President on the need to clampdown on certain unnamed Nigerians to achieve political suppression and submission ahead of the Edo election.
“Our National Campaign holds that the presence and involvement of the Chief of Staff to the President and the fact that the discussion held within the precincts of the Presidential Villa, have made the Presidency complicit and place a huge burden on President Muhammadu Buhari.
“Already, there is anxiety in the public space that the discussion between Oshiomhole and Prof. Gambari as captured in the video is an extension of discussions that must have held behind closed doors in the Presidential Villa.
“Nigerians and the people of Edo state now know those to hold responsible should there be cases of illegal arrests, assassinations and unexplained killings, sudden disappearances of prominent people, accidental discharge by federal security operatives and mysterious accidents in the course of this Edo governorship election.
“The PDP National Campaign Council on Edo governorship election charges President Buhari to reassure Nigerians by immediately ordering that Adams Oshiomhole and Prof. Gambari be pulled in for questioning over the video.
“Anything short of a decisive action on this matter will further indict the Buhari Presidency especially coming on the heels of public anxiety over Mr. President’s widely condemned comment on the use of security forces for elections,” the PDP said.
Our correspondent has contacted the national leadership of the APC, but the party is yet to respond to the claim.
Similarly, efforts were made to contact Oshiomhole’s Media Aide, but it was learnt he is now a Commissioner in Imo state.
It’s patch work of mischief makers – Presidency
The Presidency on Tuesday night dismissed the trending video on the alleged plot to arrest opposition elements in Edo State ahead of the September 19, 2020 governorship election as the patch work of mischief makers.
A presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, while reacting, said the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, and the former National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, who were discussing in the short video clip have a history and track record of working to protect the rights of Nigerians and humanity of all walks of life, especially the poor and marginalized.
Shehu said the duo would therefore not be found encouraging any conduct that ran counter to those values which they were guiding jealousy.
He said: “It is very important to strongly dispel misguided messaging amongst commentators, rights activists, advocates and journalists who have been reacting to a trending short video clip, alleging that the Chief of Staff, Professor Ibrahim Gambari and Chief Adams Oshiomhole, the former All Progressives Congress, APC chairman had hatched a plan to arrest opposition individuals ahead of the September, election in Edo State.
“Firstly, it is important to state that the video was an ingenious patchwork of mischief, extracted from an innocent conversation focused on the emerging incidents of violence in the run up to the election.
“It is equally a fact that various political parties campaigning in Edo have levelled accusations of violence against one another. In such a heightened state of uncertainty, responsible leadership, must ensure that elections are conducted in a peaceful manner and if warranted, judicious use of Law enforcement to protect lives and properties of citizens is mobilized thus preventing criminal elements from subverting the democratic process.
“This message has consistently been repeated by Mr. President. He does not support violence of any sort and its propagators will be brought to justice. Elections must reflect the will of the people.
“Equally important, is that the persons in the video, Professor Gambari and Comrade Oshiomhole have a history and track record of working to protect the rights of Nigerians and humanity of all walks of life, especially the poor and marginalized; and as such will not be found encouraging any conduct that runs counter to these values.”
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