Stop intimidating opposition - Kano NNPP chair tells Ganduje

The New Nigerian Peoples Party on Wednesday told the Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, to desist from the arbitrary use of government resources and security apparatus to intimidate and harass the opposition parties, particularly the NNPP.

The Kano State NNPP Chairman, Umar Doguwa, gave the warning while addressing a press conference at the party’s secretariat at Sharada, Kano.

Doguwa alleged that Ganduje and the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate, Nasiru Gawuna have “devised devilish means of manipulating elections through attack and intimidation 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.”

Doguwa then called for a level playing field at the general elections, and also charged the police to ensure to be neutral, fair and non-partisan.

According to him, the NNPP is a peace-loving party that had been carrying out its activities without any form of crisis so far, disclosing that the party had so far visited 27 local government areas on a state rally and was crisis-free, other than in some places, where he alleged that some members of the ruling party’s thugs disrupted their rallies.

“Despite our love for peace, we have decided not to remain silenced on issues bordering on political crisis, such as intimidation, harassment and maiming and injuring of innocent citizens, particularly members of NNPP in the state.”

Also, he noted that the Kano NNPP suspended its political activities for two days during the recent visit of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) to Kano State, to ensure that he had a peaceful visit.

However, he noted that it was unfortunate that the President’s convoy was attacked, which the NNPP as a party condemned and wrote the Nigeria Police in Kano through a formal letter and copied to all security agencies, lamenting however, that till date no arrest had been made.

“With the countdown on general election, the APC-led government is facing imminent defeat, and has therefore devised a devilish means of manipulating elections through attack and intimidation of members of the opposition parties, using primarily some political thugs and police personnel, who ordinarily ought to be apolitical in the discharge of their primary responsibilities.”

“Regretfully, the Police were observed raiding the Sharada residence of our Kano governorship candidate on Tuesday February 7, 2023,” adding that, “we lodged a formal complaint, without any action taken by the police, as we are aware of a recent court judgment restraining the police of any action.

“The motive of the latest attack on our governorship candidate, Abba Yusuf is unknown but is still not unconnected with the running battle of the incumbent Governor of Kano State Alhaji Abdullahi Umar Ganduje,” he further alleged.