The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says it has again uncovered a plot by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and what it called a  cabal in the Presidency to use compromised security agencies and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to invite, arrest and detain Senate President Bukola Saraki and his Deputy, Ike Ekweremadu.

In a statement issued by Kola Ologbondiyan, its National Publicity Secretary, in Abuja on Sunday, the PDP alleged that it has also unravelled fresh facts confirming that the pressure by the Presidency for the reconvening of the Senate is out of a sinister motive and not for any emergency in the approval of the budget of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the 2019 election.

The statement said the fresh plot to detain the two presiding officers was part of a renewed design to keep them out of circulation ahead of Senate resumption so as to enable the ‘heavily induced’ APC senators to impeach Saraki and Ekweremadu should they fail to show up for proceedings in the Senate.

“Apart from plots to arrest and detain Saraki and Ekweremadu, the PDP has also been made aware of plans to use the EFCC and security forces to clamp down on their family members, including their wives and siblings as well as close associates, all in the effort to weaken their resolve.

“Moreover, investigations by the PDP further confirm that the insistence of the APC-led Federal Government on the emergency reconvening of the National Assembly, ostensibly to consider INEC’s budget for the 2019 election, is part of APC’s thicker plot to execute their premeditated ‘coup’ on the leadership of the Senate,” the statement added.

The party said, contrary to claims by the APC and the Presidency, it has been informed that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) actually submitted the budget to the presidency since February 2018 only for the Presidency to submit it to the National Assembly in July when the legislature was already going on recess.

The PDP urged Nigerians and the international community to note the activities of the APC and the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration, which it observed have continued to put the unity and stability of Nigeria as well as its hard-earned democracy under serious stress.

The statement further maintained that the Senate leadership could not be changed by the orders of the former Edo governor as a chairman of a political party when the law is explicit on the issue.