2019 Polls: Intimidation, Threat, Blackmail Can’t Stop Our Victory – Kaduna PDP

BY AMOS TAUNA, KADUNA – Following the arrest The Kaduna state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has declared that no amount of intimidation, threat, blackmail and illegal use of state force will deter it from remaining focussed towards ensuring success in the forthcoming general elections in the state.

The party which was reacting to arrest of the spokesman to the gubernatorial candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), in Kaduna State, Mr Benjamin Bako, also said that the Department of State Services (DSS), has become compromised and partisan in Kaduna state stressing that; “and we say NO to such development.”

The Kaduna PDP said that it believes that Kaduna State Director of the DSS, Ahmadu Idris will not be neutral in the 2019 general elections and therefore called for his immediate redeployment.

Deputy Director General of the Kaduna state gubernatorial campaign team, Mr Danjuma Bello Sarki, who stated these at a press conference in Kaduna said, “No amount of intimidation, threat, blackmail and illegal use of state force will deter us from this aspect.”

He called on members and party supporters in the state to remain focussed and ensure they cast their votes on Saturday for the presidential and other elections in the state.

He further said; “We are calling for the immediate and unconditional release of Mr. Ben Bako after being harassed and illegally detained without trial for over 24 hours.

“We are very much aware that long before now, the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) in Kaduna State, under the leadership of Governor Nasir el-Rufai, has penned down a long list of influential PDP members in the state for intimidation, arrest and detention over spurious charges few days to the general elections.

“Former Governor of Kaduna State, and former National Chairman, Caretaker Committee of the PDP, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, former Governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Mukhtar Ramalan Yero, Kaduna State Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party, Chief Felix Hassan Hyat, former Kaduna State Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Audi Yaro Makama and Kaduna State Secretary of the PDP, Alh. Ibrahim Wusono are among those penciled down for arrest and detention before the elections.

“Others are the DG, Kaduna State PDP Campaign Organisation, Ambassador Sule Buba, the Deputy DG, Kaduna State PDP Campaign Organisation, Comrade Danjuma Bello Sarki, and former National Legal Adviser of the PDP, Barrister Mark Jacob Nzamah.

“We are also aware that several youth leaders of the PDP in the state, women leaders and staunch supporters of the PDP, including some public commentators are also to be locked up shortly before the elections. The plan is to lock away 150 leaders of the PDP at the State and Local Government Areas on trumped up charges of hate speech during campaign rallies.

“The intention is to send fears and weaken the spirit of the campaign, and to stir crisis in the state. But, unknown to Governor el-Rufai and the DSS, the more they arrests us, the stronger the PDP gets. It is too late to reverse the determination of the traumatised people of Kaduna state. Nasir el-Rufai is the biggest threat to local and global peace.

“If anyone deserves impeachment, arrest or arraignment for hate speech over the years, it has to be him. His tweets over the years have shown him to be an expert in hate speech as a private citizen and still as a Governor.

“The world today is still outraged by the murderous threats of Governor Nasir el-Rufai to International Election Observers, when he vowed that should any of them intervene contrary to the designs and expectation of the APC during and after elections, they would return home in body bags.

“Curiously, the Presidency came out in full support of that crude, barbaric bravado which carries a costly diplomatic price.

“From his call for violent assault to the three Senators in Kaduna state; his denigrating reference to the Pope over his rejection by the electorates in Kaduna State and his latest threat, el-Rufai remains the greatest albatross to local and International peace in Nigeria today, not Mr. Ben Bako of the PDP.

“Again, el-Rufai is doing everything within his means to attract huge number of military personnel, police, DSS, Civil Defence Corps and allied agencies which he will influence and use for rigging the elections.

“We are also aware of all his frolicking with the INEC leadership in the state and all the meetings they have been having.

“However, el-Rufai is just wasting his time and squandering state resources. If elections are rescheduled in Kaduna state 100 times, the APC will fall same number of times. Kaduna state has made up its mind. The tricks of the APC are over.”

The Kaduna state PDP called on both Local and International Election Observers to take special interest in Kaduna state elections in order to ensure free, fair, credible and peaceful polls in the state.