Buhari Media Organisation Appeals To PDP To Restrain Members From Violence

The Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) has appealed to members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to shelve any plan to foment crisis in some parts of the country in the run-up to the forthcoming elections.

The BMO made the appeal in a statement signed by its Chairman, Mr Niyi Akinsiju, and Secretary Mr Cassidy Madueke, on Tuesday in Abuja.

The group said that it would be good for opposition elements working on stoking violence in the country to have a second thought.

This, it said, was the most patriotic thing to do at a time the military was overstretched with its involvement in internal security operations in about 29 states.

“We know there are politicians who would do anything to get power and human history is replete with such acts of bloodshed, but this is clearly not the best time to play politics with human lives.

“With credible security report pointing at certain opposition figures as the brain behind the alleged plot to derail the forthcoming elections, PDP has swiftly denied that its members have such plans.

“But we at BMO want the party to go a step further by cautioning its members against even contemplating such an unpatriotic move that could potentially endanger the lives of millions of Nigerians.

“This is because it would not be enough to just dismiss revelations by Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, which he insisted are based on credible intelligence with a wave of the hand,“ the BMO said.

It recalled that the minister specifically mentioned a wanted notorious militia leader, Terwase Akwaza, also known as Gana as one of the criminally-minded people that had already been procured to unleash mayhem.

The BMO said it was a common knowledge, especially in Benue and adjoining states, that Gana had close links with politicians in the last dispensation.

It said Gana was also believed to be in touch with some of these individuals since he was declared wanted by security forces for sundry offences including mass murder.

It noted that military personnel were on the trail of the wanted man.

The BMO further said that if security reports linked Gana to violence meant to derail an election, there was no way the opposition could dismiss it as part of a larger plan to frame up leading opposition elements.

It further noted that a similar alert was raised by the National Security Council in October 2018 on the proliferation and stockpiling of weapons by unscrupulous politicians ahead of the election.

This it said made the council to recommend the deployment of security agencies to some states in order to nip the plan in the bud.

The BMO urged security agencies to ensure they contained any plan to derail the Feb. 16 elections and the subsequent ones either by Boko Haram or any criminal elements.

It, however, commended the army authorities for launching Operation Python Dance across the country as part of efforts to check the activities of militia groups.

This, it said was also to stem the tide of weapons as well as prevent politically induced violence before and during the presidential election, especially.

“We have no doubt that this exercise would go a long way in passing out the right signal to any one bent on instigating crisis or fomenting violence for political reasons,“ BMO said.