The presidential campaign councils of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have urged the Department of State Services (DSS) to act decisively against those plotting an interim national government (ING). In separate interviews in Abuja on Wednesday, the councils described the push for an ING as unconstitutional and called for the arrest of its organizers. Their remarks came after the DSS issued a statement warning that some individuals were conspiring to undermine the May 29 inauguration of President‑elect Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
The DSS, through its spokesman Dr. Peter Afunanya, alleged that the plotters intended to subvert civil rule and impose an interim government. The agency said it had identified key players in the scheme, describing the plot as “an aberration” that threatens the constitution and could plunge the country into crisis. According to the DSS, the conspirators were considering tactics such as inciting violent mass protests to trigger a state of emergency or obtaining frivolous court injunctions to block the inauguration of the new executive and legislative bodies.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Tinubu the winner of the February 25 presidential election on March 1, with 8,794,726 votes, ahead of PDP candidate Atiku Abubakar (6,984,520 votes) and Labour Party (LP) candidate Peter Obi (6,101,533 votes). Atiku and Obi rejected the result at separate press conferences on March 2, alleging rigging. Former Anambra State Governor Chukwuemeka Ezeife also claimed Tinubu would not be sworn in. LP vice‑presidential candidate Datti Baba‑Ahmed, speaking on Channels Television on March 23, urged that Chief Justice Olukayode Ariwoola should not administer the oath on May 29.
Pro‑Tinubu supporters, organized under “The Natives,” protested in Abuja on Monday against the imposition of an ING, while the Free Nigeria Movement called on former President Muhammadu Buhari to annul the election and install an interim government. In its Wednesday statement, the DSS warned that the plot, which it said was being pursued by entrenched interests, was illegal and unacceptable in a democracy. The agency pledged to work with the Presidential Transition Council (PTC) and other law‑enforcement bodies to ensure a smooth handover and urged judicial authorities, the media, and civil society to remain vigilant.
APC Director of Strategic Communications Idris Mohammed echoed the DSS’s call for arrests, stating that the party would do everything possible to guarantee a smooth swearing‑in of Tinubu. He emphasized that the DSS’s statements were not empty allegations and that security agencies must “pin down” those responsible for any coup‑like activity. APC Chief Spokesman Festus Keyamo reinforced this view, describing the DSS as the nation’s “super spy” and warning that any arrests should not be dismissed as persecution. He cautioned that the conspirators, many of whom are young, fail to understand the gravity of attempting to suspend the constitution.
PDP Deputy National Publicity Secretary Ibrahim Abdullahi also demanded that the DSS immediately arrest those pushing for an ING, labeling the scheme treasonous and contrary to the constitution. He argued that the elections had been successfully conducted and that disputed results were already before the courts, leaving no justification for an interim government.
Labour Party Chief Spokesman Yunusa Tanko, however, questioned the DSS’s timing, noting that the agency had been silent during alleged intimidation, violence, and ballot‑snatching in the recent elections. He challenged the DSS to present verifiable evidence and arrest the plotters promptly, warning that the agency’s statement could be seen as an intimidation of the people rather than a protection of democracy.
Our correspondents learned that the DSS has placed the alleged interim‑government plotters under surveillance. A senior DSS official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that those identified could face treason charges if arrested. Former DSS director Mike Ejiofor described the plan to install an ING as “pure subversion” and a crime against the state, stressing the importance of prevention. Retired DSS officer and security consultant Adams Abuh added that the composition of the conspirators—whether politicians, military personnel, or both—would influence the severity of their punishment, and affirmed that the DSS continues to gather intelligence to uncover the plotters.
Comments are closed for this story.