Former minister of aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, and Senator Ben Murray-Bruce have condemned the All Progressives Congress (APC) for calling on security agencies to probe the recent meeting held by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and some leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Dubai.
Atiku is the PDP presidential candidate for the 2019 presidential election.
In a statement on Sunday, APC deputy national publicity secretary, Yekini Nabena said security agencies should probe the “real motive” behind the meeting.
“There is more to the meeting that meets the eye. Nigeria has enough meeting/conference rooms, many of which meet international standards. It is therefore clear that the Dubai meeting was for other sinister political purposes ahead of the 2019 general elections.
“Our intelligence, anti-graft and security agencies must be awake to its responsibility of investigating the Dubai meeting. Cash-and-carry politicians must be prevented from moving illicit cash around to induce voters and sponsor election violence and rigging,” Nabena said.
The meeting was attended by Atiku’s running mate, Peter Obi; Senate President Bukola Saraki; PDP national chairman, Uche Secondus, and Murray-Bruce.
“We are mindful of how millions of dollars were confiscated in an aircraft belonging in a Nigerian PDP sympathiser in South Africa in the lead-up to the 2015 elections.
“Another round of election is here and it is not unlikely that they are playing a repeat performance, under the guise of holding a meeting in Dubai. Our security agencies should be on the watch for a stitch in time saves nine,” Nabena added.
Responding in separate messages posted on Twitter, Fani-Kayode and Murray-Bruce questioned the rationale behind APC’s statement.
The usually combative Fani-Kayode wrote: “The flagbearer of the opposition party travels to Dubai for a rest and to meet with other party leaders for a discussion about the way forward. The reaction of the ruling party is to call on the security agencies to probe all those that attended the meeting. Is this not madness?”
On his part, Murray-Bruce asked how the APC could think the opposition politicians met in Dubai to plan against Nigeria
“In 2018, Muhammadu Buhari spent five months in UK. He met with almost the whole leadership of APC there. Did PDP complain or condemn?” he asked.
