…says State has been peaceful in the eight years of APC administration

The All Progressives Congress, (APC) Kano State stakeholders has accused the National Leader of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, (NNPP) Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, of unleashing more violence in the State as a result of the APC Governorship victory, affirmed by both the Governorship Petition Tribunal and the Court of Appeal judgement.

The group also said the State had been in peace, throughout the eight years reign of the ruling party’s administration.

Making these assertions in Abuja on Thursday, during a press briefing at the Party National Secretariat, Buhari House, leader of the group, Rabiu Sulaiman Bichi said: “Things appear to be getting worse since the embattled leader of the NNPP, Senator Kwankwaso came back to Kano on Sunday, where he held a meeting of the party’s stakeholders.

“At the end of the meeting, they came up with activities that included unleashing of violence to not only eliminate the party in Kano, but to also, make it ungovernable in the event of Supreme Court judgement in favour of the APC.”

He said Kano remained peaceful throughout the eight-year administration of APC as evidenced in the increased number of governmental, non-governmental Organisations and corporate bodies rushinging to Kano to hold conferences, seminars, symposia and Annual General Meetings, (AGM) and importantly, inflow of Foreign Direct Investments, (FDIs).

“Since the conduct of the 2023 Governorship election and declaration of NNPP as winner, the ruling APC as peace loving party, remained calm, shunned all form of violence.

“The people of Kano have been living in perpetual fear of intimidation and threat to life and property, since the assumption of office, starting with the orgy of violence by elements of the NNPP, targeted at the APC.

“Apart from public property, the State headquarters of our party and properties of some leading figures of the APC were torched, all in the name of celebration.

“The APC as a party that has always been promoting the cause of democracy and the rule of law, rejected the outcome of the election and sought to reclaim its mandate through the appropriate channel as laid down in the Electoral Act and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“After filing its case at the State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, (GEPT) that sat in Kano, the APC patiently pursued it for months up to the pronouncement, where the three-man panel of judges fixed the date for the judgement.

“However, sensing defeat, the NNPP resorted to threatening to kill the judges of the tribunal, should the verdict of the court eventually, be announced and not in their favour.

“The threats by the NNPP Government’s cabinet members included among others, the Secretary to the Kano State Government, Baffa Bichi, forced the tribunal to deliver its judgement via Zoom for fear of their lives.

“The NNPP Government then, resorted to sponsored street protests, including the failed protest, held in London which millions of Naira were said to have been spent.

“The Government also, set aside millions of Naira for propaganda in the media and spreading all sorts of lies, blackmail and harassing officials of the former administration.

“They also sustained their attack on the judiciary and cast aspersions on the integrity of the judges,” he stated.

According to Bichi, the group gathered that the government of the state is planning a mass protest on Saturday, 23 November, 2023 during which, key figures of the APC will be targeted, if possible for, elimination.

“It is on this note that we call on the Kano State Police Command and other security agencies to be alive to their responsibilities, taking appreciative measures to avoid loss of life and property,” he added.

Culled from Daily Times Nigeria