For the second time, the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCESS), in Sokoto State led by the commissioner of Police, Muhammed Usaini Gumel, was prompted to convene a critical stakeholders’ meeting with party executives.
The aim of the meeting was to review the on-going political campaign activities characterised by intruders who are habitually wielding weapons, using vulgar statements on political opponents and the exhibition of hard drugs-related violence in some parts of the state.
The meeting also sensitised the campaign organisers and offered them a chance to reflect and address the emerging concerns. The party men were also reminded about their roles of checkmating mischievous followers and to always verify what they say and publicise.
The decision to hold the meeting came after collective observations and decisions of ICCES in the state to collectively address the disturbing trends regarding the ongoing campaign activities.
During the meeting, a collective decision that, “leaders of all political parties will assign committee that will be screening their supporters and ensuring that nobody carries any weapon during their campaign,” was unanimously endorsed.
“Presence of non-state security actors, quasi security outfits and other non-state actors stand prohibited as provided by the electoral act,” was also upheld.
The hallmark of the meeting was the signing of oath of commitment by the representatives of all the political parties in the state.
First to cry out was the PDP after an alleged attack on Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal’s convoy and party stalwarts by suspected miscreants while returning to Sokoto metropolis after campaign rallies at Silame and Wamakko local government area.
Sources claimed that the governor and his entourage escaped by the whiskers from unknown thugs who pelted the convoy with stones. However, two vehicles in the fleet were reportedly damaged by the attackers.
Aside Tambuwal and his deputy, Hon Manir Dan’Iya who survived the attack, other notable dignitaries on the convoy who escaped unhurt include the PDP State governorship candidate, Malam Saidu Umar; the deputy governorship candidate, Hon Sagir Bafarawa and the visiting Kebbi State PDP guber candidate, Gen Aminu Bande (rtd).
An eye witness who described the escape of the governor and his convoy as a narrow one, told LEADERSHIP Sunday that some of the cars in the convoy had their windscreen damaged.
“There was pandemonium and everyone had to think of escape. By the time the dust settled, two of the vehicles had their windscreen shattered. I can identify that of the governor’s special adviser on Media and Publicity and the official SUV that conveyed the permanent secretary (Protocol) to the governor.
“The attackers threw stones at the moving vehicles in the convoy striking the front windscreen of the governor’s special adviser on Media and Publicity official SUV and piercing the rear screen of the official SUV conveying the permanent secretary (Protocol) to the governor.”
Governor Tambuwal, at the close of a stakeholders’ meeting with political appointees in the state, did not only condemn the attack but vowed to bring to book attackers of his motorcade.
Tambuwal told journalists that, “the matter is being investigated by the security agencies. Some arrests have been made and I assure you, the law will take its course.
“It is unfortunate that on our way back from Wamakko, at the senatorial office of Aliyu Wamakko, some hoodlums attacked my convoy on our way to the Government House.
“We cannot condone any culture of violence in Sokoto State; we cannot afford to toy with the fragile peace in the state.
“As you know, we believe in peace. We have been preaching peace and peaceful coexistence in Sokoto state, irrespective of political party differences, lineage or persuasions,” he added.
Also, the state commissioner for Information, Hon Akibu Dalhatu, at a press briefing said that the gang leader of the attackers, one Abu Mai Adda, said to be on the watchlist of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), in the last three months for allegedly attacking their personnel, was one of those apprehended.
The commissioner said, Mai Adda also destroyed some vehicles in the governor’s convoy and stole five motorcycles after attacking PDP supporters at the campaign ground in Wamakko.
Firing back, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Sokoto State laid the blame of current political skirmishes threatening the peace of the state at the doorstep of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
APC state chairman, Hon Isa Sadiq Acida, alleged that despite efforts by the security agencies at bringing political leaders together, to sign a peace deal, so as to ensure peaceful conduct of campaigns and the elections, the PDP has breached all the agreements.
Addressing a press conference at the state party secretariat in Sokoto, Acida catalogued instances where alleged PDP thugs ambushed and attacked APC members.
According to Acida, “the convoy of the APC governorship candidate, Alh Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto, was attacked twice at different occasions by thugs sponsored by the commissioner for Local Government, Abdullahi Maigwandu at Sokoto Cinema Area while they were on their way to attend events in Sokoto metropolis.
“A staunch APC supporter, Abdulmajid Yellow who decamped recently from the PDP, was attacked by an armed PDP thug, by name Junaidu a.k.a ‘Viera,’ and Aminu Rabiu a.k.a ‘Taliya.’ The thugs were sponsored by one Aliyu ‘Alisha’ and Abdulrahman Malami Sabo. What is more disturbing is that the attack took place in the presence of the PDP governorship candidate, Saidu Umar, at Marafa Danbaba Road during a wedding ceremony.
“Of recent, the PDP has made life so unbearable for residents of Kofar Atiku area of Sokoto metropolis, that a delegation of elders who are mostly supporters of the APC and sharing neighbourhood with the PDP governorship candidate, had to request for security presence to enable them live peacefully in their houses. The complaint was as a result of an attack on the residence of one Bashiru Kako who had to flee with his family late at night to save his life, for no reason other than that he was an APC supporter.
“There is one Wadata Shehu a.k.a ‘Tanga’, Mustafa a.k.a ‘Awilo’, Muntari Yusuf a.k.a ‘Jagwa’, Umar Jibo a.k.a ‘Rugi’, Maniru Hussaini a.k.a ‘Shalle.’ These and many other thugs are sponsored and housed by Commissioner Abdullahi Maigwandu who have continuously been terrorising Sokoto Cinema, Bazza, Binanchi, Kofar Rini and neighboring areas.”
The APC also claimed that, “the deceptive speech of Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, after the purported attack on his convoy by his aggrieved supporters, was intended to turn the tide against the law-abiding APC supporters.
“It is a common sight, after each campaign outing, to see PDP hire crowd besieging the main entrance of the Government House and mostly shouting unprintable words against the PDP government, seeking their daily campaign settlement.
“We therefore advise Governor Tambuwal that in order to forestall future negative occurrences, he should henceforth settle all his hired, weapon-wielding crowd as at when due.”
On the issue of security, the party queried the governor, who they said has been shifting the blame on the federal government, while in other states, governors have taken leading roles in curbing banditry.
While accusing the governor of “deliberately allowing the situation to deteriorate, so that it could provide him an excuse for political mischief,” the APC further advised him to learn from governors of Kebbi, Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, Bauchi and Borno states, “who have since shown that governors can bring about positive developments to compliment the federal government.”
