ACF Knocks Presidency Over Coup Plot Claim

The pan-Northern sociopolitical organisation, Arewa Consultative Forum, has berated the Presidency for claiming that some leaders were plotting to overthrow President Muhammadu Buhari.

Naija News had reported that the Presidency had vowed to deal with any group plotting to overthrow the Buhari-led federal government.

In a statement on Tuesday by the presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, the presidency said that any group making such plans will be dealt with even if some unruly feathers would be ruffled in the process.

According to the statement, some persons have planned to hold an illegal conference where a vote of no confidence will be passed on President Buhari.

The presidency disclosed that some disgruntled religious, past political leaders and their foreign elements were working hard to undermine the sovereignty and corporate existence of the country.

The statement said the Presidency said was giving further insights into a recent claim by the Department of State Services that some people were planning to undermine the government and the nation’s sovereignty.

The statement read, “The Department of State Services on Sunday alerted on sinister moves by misguided elements to wreak havoc on the government, sovereignty and corporate existence of the country.

“Championed by some disgruntled religious and past political leaders, the intention is to eventually throw the country into a tailspin, which would compel a forceful and undemocratic change of leadership.

“Further unimpeachable evidence shows that these disruptive elements are now recruiting the leadership of some ethnic groups and politicians round the country, with the intention of convening some sort of conference, where a vote of no confidence would be passed in the President, thus throwing the land into further turmoil.

“The caterwauling, in recent times, by these elements, is to prepare the grounds adequately for their ignoble intentions, which are designed to cause further grief for the country.

“The agent provocateurs hope to achieve through artifice and sleight of hands, what they failed to do through the ballot box in the 2019 elections.”

But in an interview on Tuesday, ACF spokesman, Emmanuel Yawe, slammed the Presidency for claiming that some leaders want to overthrow Buhari.

He also berated the Presidency for calling all perceived critics of the Buhari administration disgruntled elements and saboteurs.

Yawe, however, noted that the Presidency’s penchant for always viewing critics of Buhari with “dark motives” was wrong.

He said: “The Presidency must be broad-minded enough to accommodate all shades of opinions.

“The criticism is done in good faith and if acted upon will help improve the situation in the country. It is wrong to see all critics as disgruntled, religious, and past political leaders with dark motives. Some of them mean well for the government and the country.”