Former Kaduna State governor and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Senator Ahmed Muhammed Makarfi has raised the alarm over alleged plans by ‘powers-that-be’ to arrest and detain no fewer than 80 members of the party as part of desperate efforts at stopping them from participating in the forthcoming governorship and State House of Assembly elections in the state
Three top PDP chieftains in the state have been arrested by security operatives over alleged incitive statements early in the week.
Makarfi claims that PDP is in possession of the list of those penciled down for arrest before the governorship and House of Assembly elections, rescheduled for March 18, 2023.
The former governor said “our attention has been drawn to list of our field officers, drawn up by the government to be arrested and detained until after the elections, this has grievous implications”.
He said those targeted for arrest were drawn from Kudan, Sanga, Igabi, Lere, Kachia, Jaba and Kaduna North local government areas of the State which are believed to be PDP strongholds.
To this end, Makarfi warned the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) government in the state of arbitrary arrest of members of the opposition party as a prelude to the conduct of the governorship and state House of Assembly elections which has been rescheduled for March 18tj, 2023 by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Ex commissioner of information in the state, Saidu Adamu and two other PDP officials at Kabala Costain ward were arrested and detained by security operatives, after allegedly being accused of making comments on the Muslim-Muslim ticket of the APC government.
Senator Makarfi who reacted to the arrest of Adamu who is also the Director of Media and Publicity (Broadcasting) of the PDP campaign council in Kaduna State and the two other members of the party, said that “Hon. Adamu is still in detention and we don’t know his alleged offenses”, adding that he (Adamu) has also not been charged to court, it is a very sad development” he stressed.
