The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has accused the Zamfara State governor, Bello Matawalle, of setting up a killer squad in connivance with security operatives to eliminate top members of the opposition party in the state, just as the police withdrew the security of the governorship candidate, Dauda Lawal.
The party also alleged that police had begun a brutal crackdown, including the arrest and detention of notable PDP leaders in Zamfara State, based on unfounded and trumped up allegations.
Addressing a press conference on Friday, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, said the All Progressives Congress, APC, was disoriented by the increasing popularity of the PDP and its candidates ahead of the 2023 general elections.
“The All Progressives Congress, APC, being disoriented by increasing popularity of the PDP and our candidates ahead of the 2023 general elections, has scaled up its vicious assault and clampdown on PDP candidates and other patriotic Nigerians in an attempt to silence PDP leaders and halt the overwhelming daily acceptance of our party’s message of hope to Nigerians.
“As we address you today, the governor Bello Matawalle-led APC administration in Zamfara State has reportedly set up a killer squad in connivance with some elements in the police, which has commenced a brutal crackdown, arrests, and detention of notable PDP leaders in Zamfara State based on unfounded allegations as part of APC’s plot to harass our leaders and other dissenting voices in the state.
“The PDP has information of how the PDP senatorial candidate and director-general of the PDP governorship campaign council in Zamfara State, Ikra Aliyu Bilbis, Captain Bala Mai Riga, and other notable members of the PDP were hounded, arrested, and illegally held in dehumanizing detention facilities by the police, reportedly on the orders of Governor Matawalle.
“Our Party has also been made aware of plots by the Gov. Matawalle-led APC administration to arrest and detain the PDP Governorship Candidate in Zamfara State, Dr. Dauda Lawal,” he said.
The PDP therefore charged “the Inspector General of Police to immediately restore the withdrawn security details attached to the PDP Governorship candidate in Zamfara State and take urgent steps to ensure the provision of adequate security for PDP members in the state in line with the constitutional duty of the Police to the Nigerian people”.
Mr Ologunagba also alleged that the Zamfara State governor has marked more notable leaders of the party for arrest, prominent among them, he said, are the Zamfara State PDP Acting Chairman, Mukhtar Lugga, serving members of the National Assembly; Hon. Suleman Gummi, Hon. Shehu Fulbe; and other leaders such as Col. Bala Mande, Salisu Maibuhu Gummi, and Ahmed Garban Yandi in a heinous plot to put them out of circulation ahead of the 2023 general elections.
“Other notable PDP leaders reportedly listed for arrest include Farouk Rijiya, Abubakar Rawayya, Zangina Abdullahi, Mugira Yusuf, Usman Danmasani Nahuche, Yarbachaka Haruna, Bashir Shehu, Usman Mafara, Ahmed Mairiga, Col. Yandoto, Nagambo Anka, Comr. Sale Maradun, Abba Oando, Suleiman Bukuyum, Rabiu Ilili Bakura, Mani Kotorkoshi, Maryam Buba, Abdulmajid Anka, Zayyanu Gusau among others who are now being hounded by APC agents.
“The scheme of the APC is to torture, brutalize and keep these PDP leaders in detention so as to pave way for the APC’s militia to terrorise the people and scare them away from participating in the electoral process, having realized that the APC has been rejected in Zamfara State.
“We alert Nigerians that the security operatives attached to Dr Dauda Lawal have been withdrawn reportedly on the orders of Governor Matawalle”, the statement added.
It therefore condemned in the strongest terms, the action of the Mr Matawalle-led APC administration, which, the PDP said has become a clear and present danger to national security as well as a huge threat to our democratic process and corporate existence as a nation.
The opposition party stated further that the people of Zamfara State cannot be intimidated while cautioning the governor and the APC in the state not to mistake the peace-loving and law-abiding disposition of PDP members and the people of Zamfara State as a sign of weakness.
The party also charged the Inspector General of Police to immediately restore the withdrawn security details attached to the PDP Governorship Candidate in Zamfara State, and take urgent steps to ensure the provision of adequate security for PDP members in the state in line with the constitutional duty of the Police to the Nigerian people.
The PDP spokesman also demanded the immediate and unconditional release of Ikra Bilbis, Captain Bala Mairiga, and other members of the party who were arrested and detained on the alleged directives of the Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle.
It also urged President Muhammadu Buhari to call Mr Matawalle to allow the citizens to decide their political preference.
“We call on President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately call Governor Matawalle, and his APC members to order, counseling them to accept the fact that the people of Zamfara State and Nigerians, in general, have the right to decide their political preference, which they have amply expressed in their massive support for the PDP ahead of the 2023 general elections,” the party added.
