Some suspected Boko Haram terrorists were on Sunday arrested in Yola, the Adamawa State capital over a planned attack on Atiku, who was the PDP presidential candidate in the 25 February election.
Nigeria's ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has asked the State Secret Service and the police to invite the leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over claims made on the foiled terrorist attack on Atiku Abubakar.
The call by the ruling party was contained in a statement issued by Felix Morka, the spokesperson of the party, on Tuesday.
The APC tackled the main opposition party for implying that the attack was sponsored by the ruling party because of the ongoing election petition tribunal.
"We call on the Police, Department of State Services (DSS) and other relevant security services to investigate the PDP's wild and bogus allegations, invite the PDP's leadership to substantiate these claims and bring the perpetrators to justice," the statement said.
Foiled attack on Atiku
Some suspected Boko Haram terrorists were on Sunday arrested in Yola, the Adamawa State capital over a planned attack on Atiku, who was the PDP presidential candidate in the 25 February election.
The suspects reportedly confessed to conducting reconnaissance for possible attacks.
The PDP had in a statement on Monday by its spokesperson, Dele Ologunagba, alleged that the attack was sponsored by "forces who are unsettled by his (Atiku) bid to retrieve his mandate at the presidential election petition tribunal."
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He added that "Our party believes that the intent of the sponsors of this evil plot is to silence our presidential candidate, massacre innocent Nigerians and cause chaos, confusion and anarchy in the polity."
Atiku, a former vice president of Nigeria, is challenging the outcome of the presidential election at the tribunal.
This is a senseless allegation -- APC
The ruling party described the statement by the main opposition party as a "mindless campaign" by the party.
"In continuation of its vacuous and mindless campaign of calumny, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has alleged that suspected members of Boko Haram terrorist group arrested by the police following their foiled plot to attack the residence of Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President, in Yola, were sponsored by the All Progressives Congress (APC).
"Spewing lies and gibberish has become the PDP's obsessive preoccupation following its crushing defeat in the last Presidential Election. This bizarre and senseless allegation comes only days after the same badly ailing Party alleged, without a shred of substantiation, that APC was engaged in a plot to intimidate members of the judiciary seeking to influence the outcome of pending cases before the Election Petitions Courts.
"Acts of terror or involvement in a terrorist plot are heinous crimes under the law and the PDP cannot continue to bandy allegations around without justification. Atiku Abubakar is a citizen of Nigeria and deserves the fullest protection of the law. Our law enforcement authorities must protect and investigate any threat to his person, family or assets and prosecute offenders," the statement said.
The APC further accused the opposition of politicising the issue of insecurity in the country.
