From Okwe Obi, Abuja
The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) has raised the alarm over an alleged plot by certain security agencies to arrest and frame its spokesperson and Imo State lawmaker representing Ideato Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Ugochinyere Michael Ikeagwuonu.
The Coalition, an umbrella of the Nigerian opposition political parties, accused the security agencies of fabricating baseless allegations against Ugochinyere to silence him and undermine his outspoken resistance against their alleged political and legal misconduct.
Speaking at a world press conference in Abuja, the CUPP leadership, alongside pro-democracy advocates, described the development as a grave threat to Nigeria’s democracy.
The Secretary-General of CUPP, Peter Ameh, and the coalition’s co-spokesman, Mark Adebayo, condemned what they called a “clandestine scheme to defame, tarnish, and stifle the voice of one of Nigeria’s most vocal and incorruptible opposition leaders.”
The CUPP alleged that security agencies had been training fake witnesses for over six weeks in Abuja to testify falsely against Ugochinyere.
According to the Coalition, these witnesses are being prepared to accuse him of crimes including bribery of judicial officers, criminal defamation, subversive acts, and treason.
“This is a desperate, low-budget Nollywood production whose purpose has already failed,” the Coalition said in a strongly-worded statement, stressing that “Ikenga’s commitment to speaking truth to power is God-given and cannot be silenced by intimidation, blackmail, or false allegations.”
The CUPP alleged that the ongoing plot is tied to Ugochinyere’s recent exposé on reckless land allocation and illegal land-grabbing activities in the FCT.
Expressing its dissatisfaction, the CUPP warned of dire consequences if any harm befell Ugochinyere. “The opposition family is mobilising across the country to confront these political buccaneers. Any attempt to harm Ikenga will be met with strong resistance, not only in courts but also in the streets,” the Coalition declared.
CUPP announced plans for nationwide protests to draw attention to what it described as a gross misuse of state institutions to serve personal and political vendettas.
“It has also petitioned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the European Union (EU), and UK foreign missions, urging them to intervene and ensure that justice prevails.
It emphasised that this is not the first time Ugochinyere has faced such persecution.
“He was previously charged with treason, arson, terrorism, and other baseless crimes to prevent him from winning his election. Yet, he triumphed and emerged victorious in absentia. If those trumped-up charges didn’t stop him then, this recycled plot will certainly fail now,” the group stated.