Zamfara state government says it has called on the federal government to urgently wade into political crisis allegedly being brewed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
The petition tagged ‘open letter to President Buhari’, was read and signed by Sen. Lawal Daniya, Zamfara West and Chairman, PDP Bakura State Constituency by-election Committee.
The PDP reported the APC for allegedly using dangerous weapons including daggers, axes, cutlasses bows and arrows and dane guns and chatting war songs, uncomplimentary remarks and innuendos with a view to incite disturbance of public peace against the PDP supporters.
“In an attempt to curtail the impending violence, the AIG Police Sokoto Zone, in a live broadcast, suspended all the political parties from further campaigns.
“This was also complemented by imposing 24-hour curfew in both Bakura Local Government and its neighbouring Talata Mafara local government council.
“Suddenly, Abdulaziz Yari and Aliyu Shinkafi (both former Governors of Zamfara), Aminu Jaji and Sani Mayanchi arrived the venue of the campaign rally in clear violation of the suspension of the rally and the curfew imposed.
“What is even worrisome is the kind of official armoury accompanying the former Governor which calls for investigation as to how he managed to secure this kind of undue privilege obviously from official quarters.
“These are weapon vehicles that the state so much need but does not have them in the fight against banditry.
“Another point of note is the ploy to further generate tension and apprehension by Abdulaziz Yari group for inviting various state Governors, Senators and other dignitaries to come into the state and participate in the elections,” the letter read in parts.
The PDP appealed to the president to urgently intervene in the matter to avoid further bloodshed.
While responding to the PDP allegations, however, the former governor, Alhaji Abdulaziz Yari, said the APC sought permission to hold its rally on either December 1, or December 2, but was rejected by the police because the two dates were already given to the PDP.
“Our party, the APC was given Thursday, December 3; so we went and conducted ourselves peacefully and in the presence of security agents up to the end of the event.
“On the issue of using some governors, there was not a single serving or former governor.
“It was only Zamfara APC supporters; the only issue here is that the ruling PDP government is afraid that we are going to defeat them; we should just go and meet at the election,” Yari said.
Zamfara is one of the states slated by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to hold the Dec. 5, by-election having lost its member representing Bakura state assembly contituency, Alhaji Tukur Jekada (PDP) who died after protracted illness.
