…as battle drags-in Sultanate Council
By Ado Hassan, Sokoto
IN less than four days to the governorship and State Assemblies elections across states, the two major political parties in Sokoto state, the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) and the All Progressives Congress(APC) have continued to trade tackles of allegations and counter allegations against each other ahead of the most contentious election being awaited by electorates in the caliphate.
The persistent roar by the two contending parties has not spared the Sultanate Council, the reverred enclave of the caliphate.
However, the latest stroke of allegation is coming from the ruling opposition PDP in the state which hitherto, nurses it pains of political setback in Saturday February 23rd, 2019 Presidential and NASS elections and yet to recover from the shock after loosing all three senatorial seats, 9 of 11 representatives slots for the state to the APC.
Reiterating its position over recent claims and allegations raised by the APC at a press conference held Monday in Sokoto, the state chairman of PDP, Alhaji Ibrahim Milgoma in a statement Tuesday described as mischievous and misinterpretation by the APC of a noble call by him on voters to be vigilant against all rigging and disruptive acts in the coming governorship and state assembly polls in the state.
Milgoma said ” our party is also aware of similar utterances by an unregistered group calling themselves” Coalition of 24 Political Parties” twisting the lawful call for alertness against the electoral fraud and crimes.
The ruling party maintained that ” The PDP wishes reiterate the position of our Chairman, irrespective of opposition from elements with the obvious intention to engage in shady activities during the polls.
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress in an earlier press conference by its Chairman, Alhaji Sadiq Isah Achida raised the alarm over alleged desperate and undemocratic moves by the opposition PDP in the state to cause breach of the peace urging the law enforcement agencies to apply appropriate sanctions to serve as deterrent to others.
Similarly it alleged that the PDP in the state had concluded plans to deploy ‘area boys’ in Sokoto Marshall uniform to participate in the joint security patrol team that would monitor next Saturday’s elections to accomplish its designed plan.
” We do not trust the state government owned security outfit. We reject that unlawful arrangement and demand that only security agencies backed and duly recognised by federal laws should monitor elections”, APC vowed.
Achida observed that the PDP were rattled by the overwhelming victory of the APC across the country describing the actions and unguarded statement by the duo as capable of engendering breakdown of peace, law ad order in the state.
He described as detrimental the calculated inciting statement curried by the state PDP chairman, Alhaji Ibrahim Milgoma and the Stae Zonal Vice Chairman, Alhaji Muhammadu Dangwaggo at a youths solidarity rally held Saturday March 2, 2019
Achida quoted the duo as saying” we must win election by all means. We either win or there will be death. Any government official seen at the polling unit should be beaten up to death and his corpse thrown away in a refuse dump.”
According to APC” the statements are nor only inciting but a recipe for lawlessness and anarchy.”
Achida said Sokoto people had rejected the incompetent and failed PDP government in the state during the last round of elections and were ready and determined to vote them out next Saturday.
” Power is attained through the express will of the majority rather than through threats and violent actions of the minority.
” The PDP is frightened and deeply pained by the massive rejection and humiliation it suffered at the just concluded Presidential and National Assembly elections which is staring them in the face in the forthcoming governorship and state assembly elections,” Achida pointed out.
Milgoma, however, countered with vehemence spurious claims by the opposition APC in the state over joining issues with the Sultanate, stressing that” On the APC’s claim that they hold His Eminence the Sultan of Sokoto in high esteem, our party regards their new position as an afterthought, after the leader of APC in Sokoto State, Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, recently led a band of hoodlums to the gates of the Palace to chant insults and threats of deposition at our revered royal father”, just as it maintained that , the PDP never promoted or engaged in violence all through the campaigns, while the APC campaign trail is marked by arson, pillaging and grievous physical attacks on members of the public, a record it said that was contrary to APC’s attempt to rewrite history.
Accordingly, Milgoma, in the statement further recalled with deep concern on the recent victory rallies of the APC which were grossly marked by burnings in Sokoto Metropolis, Wamakko and Kware towns leading to destruction of properties and subjecting innocent persons to be unduly apprehensive.
” Our party therefore, wishes to draw the attention of the public and security agencies to the rigging plans of the APC, which we all have the duty to stop”, the statement concluded.
