Tension Ahead APC Primary As Ola’s Team Alleges Plot Against Supporters

The campaign team of Kogi West senatorial aspirant Abubakar Zakari Ola, alleged Saturday that political actors plan to harass, intimidate and impersonate supporters ahead of the APC senatorial primary scheduled for Monday.

Speaking at a news conference in Lokoja, Yahaya Maiyaki of the campaign’s media directorate said the group had received “credible intelligence” that operatives would orchestrate unlawful arrests and intimidate Ola’s supporters around voting centres across the district. The team also alleged that about ₦30 million was earmarked to finance activities aimed at creating fear and confusion during the exercise.

Maiyaki claimed some individuals planned to wear face caps, vests and other campaign materials associated with Ola’s operation to provoke disturbances at polling and collation centres and falsely implicate genuine supporters to security agencies and party officials.

The campaign insisted Ola and his backers remain committed to peaceful, issue‑based participation. “We strongly detest and reject violence, intimidation, thuggery and any act capable of undermining the unity and integrity of our great party and the state,” the statement said, urging supporters to remain calm, law‑abiding and vigilant.

The group appealed to Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo to intervene and called on security agencies — the Nigeria Police Force, DSS and NSCDC — to investigate the allegations and ensure that only properly identified personnel are deployed for election duties.

The campaign thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and APC national and state leaders for their stated commitment to a level playing field and expressed confidence that party members’ will would prevail through peaceful, transparent primaries. There was no immediate response from state APC officials or security agencies.