NNPP cautions Ganduje, police over alleged intimidation of members

By Baba Aminu

and harass its peace loving members across the state.The New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, has warned Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and the ruling APC administration to desist from using government resources and security apparatus to intimidate

The NNPP gave the warning on Wednesday at a news conference in Kano where the party Chairman, Umar Haruna Doguwa, alleged that Governor Ganduje and the APC candidate have “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 noted that with the elections drawing closer by the day, Kano State Government is faced with the reality of imminent defeat at the polls, noting that “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”.

Doguwa said: “we have suspended our rally activities for two days during the recent visit of President Buhari to Kano to ensure that he has a peaceful visit. 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 to all security agencies. The rest is now history as we are yet to hear of any arrest.”

Further, Doguwa condemned “attacks on the country home of one of our leading members who serves as the Director Intelligence and Strategy, Barr. Muhuyi Magaji Rimingado which occurred at Rimingado Local Government after the visit of our gubernatorial candidate, Abba Kabir Yusuf.”

According to him, “The police were seen raiding the Sharada residence of Barr. Muhuyi Magaji again at around 9:30pm on Tuesday 7th February, 2023 acting harassment script handed by the APC.”

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He said: “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(Muhuyi) running battle with the incumbent Governor of Kano State where the latter is very uncomfortable with decision of the unrepentant Anti-Corruption Czar joining forces with the NNPP to salvage what is remaining of Kano State from his administration.

“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 Abubakar Makoda.

“It is on this note that the party condemn 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 said.

Reacting to the allegation, Kano State Commissioner for Information, Malam Muhammad Garba described the allegation as totally false as the opposition party is crying wolf.

”Look at the attack in Makoda, it was our people that were attacked by the NNPP where four of our party members were shot, it was not as if we went for campaign, but rather they saw the vehicle of our party and the attacked the occupants. Also, the situation in Gwarzo was not different where they burnt the house of an APC leader, ”Muhammad alleges.

”It is pathetic that we, the APC members are the victims of the attacks but the NNPP, the aggressor is claiming to be the victims.”