CUPP To DSS – Stay Within Your Constitutional Role

…Warns it to stop threatening PDP chairman 

The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) has urged the Department of State Service (DSS) to stay with its constitutional role of protecting lives and property in conjunction with other security agencies instead of jumping into the political arena and threatening opposition leaders.

This was as the CUPP warned the DSS to stop threatening the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr Iyorchia Ayu, over his comment on some of the bye-elections held in the country over the weekend.

The CUPP particularly said that it was clear to all that the bye-election that took place in Ngor Okpala Local Government Area of Imo State was heavy compromised to the advantage of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), hence the DSS did not have to grandstand on the issue.

A statement by the Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere Ikeagwuonu, spokesman of the CUPP said that it is aware that truckloads of security agencies that the police, DSS, Navy, Air Force and armed thugs were moved to Ngor Okpala LGA on the eve of the election to unleash violence on the people.

The Nigeria Opposition Coalition Spokesperson stressed that the Ngor Okpala Local Government bye-election showed without any iota of doubt that the DSS is an army of the ruling APC.

In the words of the CUPP; We call for the cancellation of the election. We insist that the election in that local government should be cancelled.”

The DSS had in a statement on Monday by its Public Relations Officer, Dr Peter Afunnaya, warned Ayu to stop making what it described as “unguarded” statements against the agency and other security agencies in the country.

Ayu had at a political function in Owerri said the PDP will not use security agencies to harass and intimidate innocent citizens when it takes over from the ruling party.

The CUPP said Ayu was right in his comment on the use of security agencies to manipulate electoral process, especially in Imo State.

The statement further states; “The Ngor Okpala election in particular has shown that the DSS was becoming the All Progressives Congress (APC) army.

“The coalition of opposition political parties is not comfortable with the threat issued by the DSS to the national chairman of the PDP on a matter that is clear to all that the chairman is right,” it stressed.