The Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, has commended the Department of State Services (DSS) for inviting the Director of Special Projects and New media of the Tinubu/Shettima presidential campaign Council, Femi Fani-Kayode, to explain his allegations and insinuations of an attempted coup being planned by Atiku and top generals.
In a series of tweets on Saturday, Fani-Kayode had said he learnt that Atiku Abubakar, Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), had a secret meeting with some army generals.
The Defence Headquarters had subsequently denied the meeting, pledging its commitment to democracy.
According to a statement by his Special Assistant, Public Communications, Mr. Phrank Shaibu, Atiku, who had earlier asked the secret police to invite Fani-Kayode, asked the DSS not to leave any stone unturned in the course of investigation.
He stated, “We commend the DSS for the swift invitation sent out to Fani-Kayode. He must be made to explain his allegation of an attempted coup being planned by Atiku Abubakar who even during the military regime never attempted to topple the government despite having the resources.
“Fani-Kayode must also be made to reveal the identities of the so-called army generals who are plotting to overthrow the government of President Muhammadu Buhari.”
Shaibu, who described Fani-Kayode’s aim to withdraw his comments as an afterthought, said there was an urgent need for the DSS and Nigerian authorities to ensure that the military is not brought into partisan politics.
He added, “Nigerians suffered for nearly 30 non-consecutive years battling military dictatorship. The military has since 1999 pledged its loyalty to civilian authority and returned to the barracks. Unfortunately, Fani-Kayode and some persons in Tinbubu’s camp have continued to prod the military by making allegations of coups and interim government.
“Fani-Kayode cannot be acting alone since he is the spokesman for Tinubu. Fani-Kayode and his ilk have been prodding the military for the last one month.
“In his response, President Buhari set up a transition committee that will midwife a smooth transition of another government on May 29. Despite this, the likes of Fani-Kayode have continued to prod the military, propagating theories of coups.”
Atiku told the DSS to also ask Fani-Kayode to explain his ties to Yoruba nation agitators, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and other separatist organisations threatening the unity of Nigeria.
He said, “Fani-Kayode has been seen in many videos prodding separatists agitators to tear the country apart. He has been instigating a tribal war in Nigeria for the last six years. This is a man that vilified northern Muslims, describing them as blood sucking demons in a bid to instigate genocide against northerners living in the south.
“This is a man who described President Muhammadu Buhari as a brain dead walking corpse. He later said an impostor had taken over as President all in a bid to incite protests and riots in the country. The DSS must thus leave no stone unturned in this investigation. It is obvious that Fani-Kayode is the one plotting the collapse of the 4th Republic.”
