The Abubakar Baraje led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said that the party has uncovered plots by President Goodluck Jonathan to arrest former President Olusegun Obasanjo and his erstwhile deputy, Atiku Abubakar.
Similarly, the party also said members of the league of G7 governors and leaders of the Baraje faction have also been marked for arrest ad detention.
Governors in the G7 are: Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers); Musa Kwankwaso (Kano); Murtala Nyako (Adamawa); Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto); Babangida Aliyu (Niger); Sule Lamido (Jigawa); and Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara).
In a statement yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Chukwuemeka Eze, the faction said intelligence report in its possession revealed that the Presidency was already putting finishing touches to the plan.
According the party, the Presidency's plot is code named "Operation Total Crackdown on G7 and their allies in the New PDP".
"When we got details of the plot to arrest and commit the leadership of New PDP to prison without charge we thought it was a joke.
"The reality, however, dawned on us after we read the interview of our friend and brother, Alhaji Mujahid Asari-Dokubo, in the PREMIUM TIMES of 26th September, 2013, confirming that President Goodluck Jonathan is under pressure to arrest former President Olusegun Obasanjo and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar without any further delay.
"The sin of these two distinguished Nigerian statesmen, according to those plotting their "demystification", is their alleged support for the New PDP, including the G7 Governors. That this evil plot is being conceived by the Presidency confirms that the Abacha days are truly here again with us", the statement added.
The party said in view of the development, the leadership of the Baraje group had, in an emergency meeting of its National Working Committee, brainstormed on how best to respond to the plot.
"Our conclusion at the end of the meeting was that we would not be intimidated for any reason, even if it means death, as we are fighting a just cause of reclaiming, recovering and establishing our party based on the vision of its founding fathers as the party is currently usurped by some members who do not know how it was formed.
"Baraje, knowing how dirty some of the hawks in the Presidency can fight when pushed to the wall, directed NWC members to write their wills immediately after the meeting as we have entered the stage of no retreat and no surrender – fully determined to reclaim what rightly belongs to us", the party said.
Baraje urged the G7 Governors not to be intimidated or frightened by any tactics or strategy employed by "state forces" to coerce them to forgo any of the issues they have been asked to present before President Jonathan in the October 7 meeting.
The party regretted that instead of employing diplomacy to attend to the issues that brought about the present conflict, the Presidency had chosen to apply force.
Baraje said that rather than being disturbed by the plot, his members are ready for any tactics that may be adopted by the Presidency in the alleged crackdown.
"In this regard, we wish to urge both the Presidency and those detailed to attack us not to waste time or wait till October 7 to start arresting us, as there are thousands of Nigerians ready to step into our shoes and fight this cause to its conclusion.
"We are convinced that at the appropriate time; Asari Dokubo will join us when he is convinced as a social crusader, the injustice we have been subjected to in PDP all these years so we are not threatened by his outbursts", Baraje added.
The party quoted a one time President of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt, to buttress its determination to face the alleged threat squarely.
Roosevelt had stated in that memorable speech: "Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the president or any other public official, save exactly to the degree in which he himself stands by the country."
