The New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, Kano State Chapter has alleged that the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, is planning to use thugs and some police personnel to disrupt the governorship election in the state.
The NNPP state chairman, Umar Doguwa, made the allegation at a press briefing in Kano on Wednesday.
According to Mr Doguwa, the APC is planning the attacks on its members because “it is facing the reality of imminent defeat at the polls.”
The chairman noted that NNPP is a peace-loving party that had been carrying out it activities without any form of crisis.
“So far, we have visited 27 local governments on a state rally and there was no report of crisis other than in some cases where the ruling APC sponsored their thugs as part of their mission to disrupt our rallies which have been aborted.
“Despite our love for peace we have decided not to remain silence on issues bothering on political crisis such as intimidation, harassment, maiming and injuring innocent citizens particularly the supporters of NNPP,” he said.
Mr Doguwa recalled that the opposition party had suspended its rally activities for two days during the recent visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to Kano for peace to reign.
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“Unfortunately, it was speculated that the State Government would orchestrate a shameful attack on the President’s convoy which we as a party highlighted to the Nigeria Police in Kano through a formal letter all security agencies. The rest is now history as we are yet to hear of any arrest.
“With the elections drawing closer by the day, Kano State Government is faced with the reality of imminent defeat at the polls.
“It has therefore, devised devilish means of manipulating elections through attack and intimation of members of the opposition parties using primarily political thugs and some police personnel who ordinarily ought to be apolitical in the discharge of their responsibility,” he added.
He also alleged that “the police who failed to receive and treat the complaints of NNPP members of Danbatta, Takai and Makoda Local Governments have now resorted to harassment and intimidation of our members including some candidates of the party, campaign spokespersons, social media activists and the Director General of the Campaign, Ali Makoda.
“We are not unaware of the plans by the APC-led administration in Kano State to frame our members in the buildup to elections in order to intimidate them and pave way for election rigging.
“It is on this note that the party condemns in strong terms the recent attacks and intimidation of its members, as there is no level of pressure that will deter us from breaking the shackles of the unrepentant corrupt politician whose symbol of identification is stocking American Dollars in their pockets,” he concluded.
