ABUJA, Nigeria — Nigeria's main opposition party on Monday called for an investigation after security forces arrested two alleged Boko Haram militants believed to be plotting to attack the party's presidential candidate.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said it believes attackers were planning to kill the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in his home, slay innocent citizens and cause chaos.
The arrests Sunday came amid continued court battles over the outcome of Nigeria's February presidential election. The PDP alleges that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) party won through election fraud, which it denies.
The PDP also alleged that the arrests might be connected to the ruling party's recent warning to the judiciary. The APC last week urged the judiciary to be careful with any ruling on the February elections, saying a wrong decision could unleash anarchy in Nigeria.
The PDP claimed the ruling party was trying to start violence as an excuse to impose emergency rule in Nigeria.
On Sunday, Adamawa state police operatives arrested two men inside Abubakar's residence. Police said the men admitted to being members of Islamist extremist group Boko Haram on a mission to bomb the place.
The police have handed the suspects over to the military for more investigation.
Phrank Shuaibu, Abubakar's spokesperson, said Abubakar is a target because the PDP has presented a strong case in court against the February election results.
"We don't see it as a coincidence,” Shuaibu said. “We do not need the services of a clairvoyant to assert a case as to what is happening. We're sure that they're stuck, we're sure that they're frustrated by the trove of evidence we have before the court. The only thing they have on their plate right now is to see how they can attack the life of Atiku Abubakar."
The PDP and the Labor Party have been challenging the election that put the ruling party's Bola Tinubu in the president’s office.
The PDP accused the APC of manipulating the election process to retain power and is calling for security reinforcements around Abubakar.
But the ruling party dismissed the claims. APC National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka said the PDP is making baseless accusations.
“It's very unfortunate that the Peoples Democratic Party will trivialize something as serious as suspected terror attack to politicize an incident that is still at the early stages of investigation,” Morka said. “It just shows the depth to which the PDP has descended in its utter confusion and loss. I think that's just the height of irresponsibility.”
Abubakar has not commented on the alleged assassination attempt.
The Presidential Election Petition Court, meanwhile, is expected to rule soon on the PDP’s challenge to the election.
