Jonathan wants to arrest Tinubu, says APC

The All Progressives Congress (APC) is alleging that the Goodluck Jonathan government has concluded plans to arrest Bola Ahmed Tinubu, its national leader, and other financiers of the party.

The party, which made this allegation on Saturday through Lai Mohammed, its spokesman, said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was plotting to “decimate the opposition and gain an undue advantage ahead of the forthcoming general election”.

It said that a “red alert” had been sent to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to arrest Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on trumped-up charges anytime from now.

“In addition, anyone who is suspected of being a financier of the APC is to be arrested, all in efforts to decapitate the main opposition party which is undoubtedly cruising to victory in the forthcoming elections,” the party alleged.

“And as part of the offensive against the APC in the days ahead, there is a plan to freeze the accounts of companies, individuals and organisations believed to be financing the party, with the ultimate objective of crippling the party so it won’t be able to sustain its activities, like paying its agents on election day and other logistics.

“Still on frame-up, the Jonathan administration has also alleged that our leaders are behind a certain APC Radio, which they claimed is being used to destabilise the polity. We state categorically that we have nothing to do with that radio station. We believe strongly that the radio station is the handiwork of the same people who are accusing us of establishing it.

“Their main reason for setting up the station is simple: To use it as another excuse to clamp down on our leaders. They are the ones who set up the station. They are the ones who announced its establishment to the whole country and now they are the ones who are trying to leverage it to arrest our leaders.”

But reacting to the allegations, the PDP described the APC as delusional.

“We have always insisted that spokespersons of political parties as distinct from support staff should maintain the highest level of decency, civility and morals in the discharge of our duties,” PDP said.

“However, it remains rather shocking that 98 percent of Lai Mohammed’s statements bother on the frivolous and poorly produced wild accusations.

“We do not speak for the EFCC but we will not support any action that can trigger unrest in an election we are winning very comfortably. APC is suffering from near-success syndrome trauma and it often leads to paranoia and delusion. Let them refocus on issues and plan on how to rebuild the tatters of their failed experiment.”