By Chioma Onuegbu

Uyo —Akwa Ibom State chapter of People’s Democratic Party, PDP, has alleged plans by All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state to frame up key leaders of the party in order to arrest and detain them ahead of the general election.

The state Chairman of PDP, Obong Paul Ekpo, who made the disclosure, yesterday, while briefing newsmen at the party secretariat in Uyo, said the party received intelligence report of the alleged plot.

He said: “We have received credible intelligence that on January 21, 2019 or on any other day during APC rallies, buses branded as PDP buses or vehicles bearing state government number plates, will be loaded with arms and occupied by some criminals, heading to the venue of the APC rally.

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“On approaching, the buses and their occupants will be arrested and the contents of the buses displayed for all to see as a major security breakthrough. Additionally, the criminals will mention some PDP top shots as their financiers, necessitating their arrest and subsequent prosecution under the anti-terrorism act.

“This plot, which is hatched and sponsored by the opposition APC, is aimed at arresting and incarcerating our key leaders and keeping them away from circulation throughout the elections. This is, to say the least, very crude, anachronistic and antediluvian, signalling APC’s imminent defeat at the approaching polls.”

APC  denies allegation

Reacting, spokesperson of APC Campaign Organisation in the state, Eseme Eyibo, denied the allegation, describing it as a strategy of a political party engaged in self pity.

“The principles of law state that whoever alleges should be able to prove. So, whoever made the allegation should be able to prove it, otherwise it is an exit strategy,”  Eyibo said.

Ekpo further explained that the  party had not and will not send anybody to attempt to disrupt rallies or meetings of any other political party, stressing that the party leaders who are currently being targeted by the opposition, are innocent Nigerians with proven integrity.