Chuks Okocha in Abuja
The Presidential Campaign Council of the African Democratic Congress (ADC-PCC) has condemned the assault on its Sokoto State governorship candidate, Alhaji Munir Dan Iya, allegedly by the operatives of the state-owned safety outfit often known as the Sokoto Marshals.
The assault reportedly occurred yesterday alongside Airport Road, Sokoto, as Dan Iya was returning to town after accompanying former Governor of Sokoto State and Senator representing Sokoto South, Senator Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, from the airport.
Several automobiles within the governorship candidate’s convoy have been allegedly vandalised and extensively broken by the armed operatives.
In a press release by Director, Media and Publicity, ADC Presidential Campaign Council (ADCPCC), Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, the council stated that ”extra disturbing is the truth that, for the reason that incident, operatives of the identical safety outfit have been stationed at varied historic gates into Sokoto metropolis, harassing motorists and concentrating on automobiles bearing ADC posters, insignia and different celebration symbols.”
The ADC-PCC spokesman additional stated that ”In an much more alarming growth, two Department of State Services (DSS) personnel hooked up to the ADC governorship candidate have been reportedly kidnapped by the Sokoto Marshals”.
He stated Dan Iya formally reported the incident to the Sokoto State Commissioner of Police, including that his private SUV was additionally vandalised in the course of the assault.
The spokesman of the ADC marketing campaign added that ”this reprehensible conduct is provocative, unacceptable and represents a harmful descent into state-sponsored thuggery.
“It is an element of a disturbing sample of political intimidation and violence towards ADC members and opposition figures throughout the nation.
”Only a number of weeks in the past, comparable incidents have been reported in Kaduna and different states. Sokoto has now turn out to be the newest theatre of this rising assault on democratic freedom.
”The coordinated harassment and assaults towards the ADC and different opposition voices represent a grave violation of democratic ideas and the constitutional ensures of freedom of motion, affiliation and peaceable political participation.”
Ologbondiyan stated, ”We are notably alarmed {that a} safety outfit established and funded with taxpayers’ cash is allegedly being reworked right into a political militia for intimidating, harassing and attacking perceived political opponents.
”This isn’t governance. It is banditry in uniform, and it should not be tolerated in a democracy.
”Let it’s clearly understood that the ADC will not sit again and watch its members, leaders and candidates being subjected to intimidation and violence anyplace in Nigeria.
The period of taking our celebration without any consideration, threatening its members and attacking its political buildings with impunity is over.
”This have to be the final time such an assault is allowed to occur., Abdullahi acknowledged.
Accordingly, the spokesman of the ADC PCC stated, ”While the ADC stays dedicated to peaceable political engagement and the rule of legislation, we’re totally ready to defend our members and shield their constitutional rights by each professional means out there to us.
”No particular person or group has a monopoly of violence, intimidation or lawlessness.”
The ADC PCC known as on the Inspector-General of Police, the Sokoto State Commissioner of Police and all related safety and intelligence businesses to right away examine these incidents, apprehend these accountable, safe the discharge of the 2 DSS personnel reportedly kidnapped and be sure that all perpetrators are dropped at justice.
”We hereby give the related authorities 24 hours to rein in these rogue components, safe the protection of our candidate and members, and start decisive motion to convey the perpetrators to justice.
”Failure to take action will go away the management of our celebration with no possibility however to take additional decisive and lawful steps to guard its members, defend its political rights and safeguard our democracy. Nigeria can’t afford to descend into an period the place state-funded safety outfits are deployed as devices of political persecution,” Ologbondiyan acknowledged.
