Kola Oyelere
The Kano state chapter of the New Nigeria People Party ( NNPP) has said that the teeming masses of the state are tired of the maladministration of the All Progressive Congress (APC) and will vote massively for the NNPP despite a series of alleged intimidations against it by the ruling party.
Asserting on Wednesday, when addressing a press conference at the state party secretariat Sharada, the state chairman of the party, Hon. Umar Haruna Doguwa, condemned intimidation and harassment of its members and called on the Police to be neutral and non-partisan ahead of the 2023 general elections.
“Despite our love for peace we have decided not to remain silent on issues bothering on a political crisis such as intimidation, harassment, maiming and injuring innocent citizens, particularly the supporters of NNPP.”
According to him, “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.”
As you are all aware, the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, is a peace-loving party that has been carrying out its 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.”
“Eleven days after the unfortunate attacks on the country home of one of our leading members who serves as the Director of Intelligence and Strategy, Barr. Muhuyi Magaji Rimingado which occurred at Rimingado Local Government after the visit of our gubernatorial candidate, Abba Kabir Yusuf, the police were seen raiding the Sharada resident of Barr. Muhuyi Magaji again at around 9:30 pm on Tuesday 7th February 2023.”
He disclosed that ” A formal complaint was lodged. This came as a surprise to us because we are aware of a subsisting court judgement, restraining the police from such an act. A copy of the Court judgement is available in the public domain.
Though the motive of doing the latest act is still unknown but is not unconnected with his running battle with the incumbent Governor of Kano State where the latter is very uncomfortable with the decision of the unrepentant Anti-Corruption Czar joining forces with the NNPP to salvage what is remaining of Kano State from his administrations.
Equally, 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, Dr Ali Abuakar 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 to intimidate them and pave way for election rigging.
It is on this note that the party condemn in strong terms the recent attacks and intimidation of its members, as no level of pressure will deter us from breaking the shackles of the unrepentant corrupt politician whose symbol of identification is stocking American Dollars in their pockets.
However all attempt to get the comment of APC state chairman, Alhaji Abdullahi Abbas, was not successful, but a source who preferred anonymity said that the NNPP is a pathological liar.
The source added that the party NNPP was only popular on Facebook and social. media and could not pose any serious threat to the ruling party during the election.
Also when visited the state headquarters of the Nigeria Police on the allegation that the command was taking sides with the ruling party, the image maker of the Police, SP Haruna Kiyawa was not in their seat.
However, a source who begged not to be quoted, said they were hearing that allegation for the first time.
He said that the Command has been fair to all the political parties, we did not belong to any political party, but to all by the law that established the security operatives.
