Party accuses APC of plotting to assassinate top PDP leaders

dimeji akinloye

November 18, 2015 7:57 PM

Olisa Metuh described the attempt on Ekweremadu's life as a pointer that political assassination era is back in Nigeria.

PDP National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh

The People's Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of plotting to assassinate the Deputy Senate President (DSP), Ike Ekweremadu and several other PDP chieftains.

In statement released on Tuesday, November 17, Ekweremadu's media aide, Uche Anichukwu, had alleged that the suspected assassins trailed the senator, who was on his way to the office at about 10.00am, from Apo Flyover and Dantata Construction Company’s yard, close to the Old Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) junction in Abuja.

He stated that the alleged killers drove a tinted white-coloured Mercedez Benz AMG E63 without a plate number, adding that the vehicle was driven by a long-bearded light skinned foreigner - whom he believed was a mercenary.

READ: Deputy Senate President escapes assassination attempt

However, speaking to newsmen on Wednesday, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, has described the attempt on Ekweremadu's life as an indication that political assassination era is back in Nigeria.

Metuh, who held the APC responsible for the attempted assassination, said the party is apparently still bitter that Ekweremadu emerged the Deputy Senate President.

He further alleged that the APC is not only targeting the DSP's life, but lives of some other notable PDP leaders.

He listed PDP chieftains' names targeted for assassination as; acting BOT Chairman, Bello Haliru, Acting National Chairman, Uche Secondus National Secretary, Adewale Oladipo and members of the National Working Committee, as well as Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, House Minority leader, Leo Ogoh among others.

He said the government should be held responsible if anything happens to the PDP members, by way of terror attacks, unexplained accidents, kidnapped or 'suddenly killed by armed robbers’.

“Some desperate power-mongers close to President Muhammadu Buhari, particularly those privy to his interest to contest the 2019 presidential election, and who have been reading his body language against the opposition, have gone ahead to establish a killer squad to wipe off strong opposition, deeming such a service to the President

“This killer squad, our intelligence further revealed, has key marksmen recruited from within and outside the country with directives to trail, track down and hit strategic opposition elements and instill fear among PDP members," Metuh said.

READ: Ekweremadu calls for special anti-terrorism courts

He however called on President Buhari to call his "overbearing" party members and security officials to order.

dimeji akinloye