Published 30th Mar, 2023

By Tarinipre Francis

Tanko Yunusa, the spokesperson of the Labour Party (LP), has described the statement released by the Department of State Secret Services (DSS) on an interim government plot as a conspiracy against the state.

In an interview with Channels TV on Thursday, Yunusa interrogated the DSS’ response to the cases of electoral violence against his party.

“For us we feel like it is a conspiracy against the state itself. When we started complaining about the insecurity and level of violence during the election, where was DSS at that time?” He asked.

“When we went on the streets to campaign and our members were being maimed and attacked, nobody spoke about those things. Where was the DSS at that time?”

In a statement released on Wednesday, the DSS claimed to have identified several key players in a plot to install an interim administration.

The agency further disclosed that these players planned to accomplish their objectives through sponsored nonstop violent protests in big cities to justify the declaration of a state of emergency, and by securing baseless court injunctions to prevent the inauguration of new executive and legislative administrations at the federal and state levels.

Although the DSS did not publicly identify the said key players, speculations pointing to Yusuf Datti Ahmad, the vice-presidential candidate of the LP, as one of the key players rose because of his statement directed to the President and the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN).

“Mr. President, do not hold that inauguration; CJN, your honour, do not participate in unconstitutionality,” he had said.

Tanko has, however, dismissed the speculations, saying, “Datti was only appealing to the Nigerian state to know the rules of engagement and constitutionality which we all swear to uphold.”

The LP spokesman said his party neither made inflammatory statements nor mobilised people to fight on the streets.

“We will not support any insurrections. We will protect the interests of the Nigerian people based on the provisions of the law, and the law provides that you have the rights to protest, and that we will do with the protection of the security agencies.”

Yunusa further noted that the DSS had not done satisfactory due diligence in the interest of the Nigerian state, which was its primary responsibility, according to the constitution.

He said “the idea of saying some people are trying to derail the system [is fallible] because the system has already been derailed right in front of their eyes”.

Additionally, Yunusa asked, “When there were inflammatory statements being made by members of the media team of the APC, putting the democracy in danger, not thinking about the consequences of their actions, where was the DSS at that time?

“When Mc Oluomo came out and made an inflammatory statement, saying that people of certain tribes should not come to Lagos or vote at a particular period of time, nobody said anything. In fact, it was alluded that the statement was a joke. Nobody invited him to the DSS at the time.

“When the election was taking place, you saw how ballot boxes were being destroyed and papers snatched, nobody said anything about it. Is it now, when the Nigerian people are speaking to defend the sovereignty of the country, defend the integrity of the… that’s when the DSS is making statements?”

Share on Social Media