The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Borno State has raised the alarm over alleged plot by the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to breach the peace and security in the state.
The allegations are contained in a petition sent by the Borno State chapter of the PDP to the national security adviser (NSA), Maj Gen Babagana Monguno (rtd); director general of the Department of State Services (DSS), Yusuf Magaji Bichi, and the inspector general of police (IG), Usman Alkali Baba.
The opposition party made reference to two viral videos on the social media in which chairman of the APC in Borno State, Ali Bukar Dalori, and a member of the state House of Assembly representing Nganzai local government area, Mohammed Gajiram, allegedly threatened that APC must win all their elections even if it means killing and burying people in holes.
The chairman of the Borno PDP, Alhaji Zanna Gaddama, said the petition became necessary because the people of the state are tired of impunity and irresponsible leadership of the APC government.
Noting that the APC in Borno is disturbed because the people now consider the PDP as the credible alternative, he implored the security agencies to take decisive action against those calling for violence in Borno State.
Gaddama noted that while all hands are on deck by both leadership and members of the PDP to end poverty, hardship and insecurity caused by bad governance in Borno State, some people within the state APC are making frantic moves to take the state back to the dark days of terror.
He said, “The people of Borno and more particularly members and supporters of our party, the PDP, are shocked to hear these open threats to their lives. As a law abiding party, we have already written petitions to the Inspector General of Police, the Director General of the DSS, the National Security Adviser and the Abdulsalam Abubakar Peace Committee calling for the arrest and prosecution of both the APC state chairman and Hon. Mohammed Ali Gajiram for their open threat to peace in Borno and intimidation of innocent citizens of the state.
“We are equally surprised that the Governor of Borno State, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, who is the chief security officer of the state has not found it expedient to openly denounce this call to violence and insecurity in Borno by members of his political party. We hope that the governor’s sense of judgement is not beclouded by his partisan political interest.
“If this is the case, then it is most unfortunate that the person saddled with the responsibility of protecting the lives and properties of the people of Borno is looking the other way when the lives of Borno people are openly threatened.
“We are aware that the renewed call for the violence and attack on members and supporters of the PDP is as a result of the recent campaign flag-off of the PDP, wherein the people of Borno came out in their thousands to welcome us and attended our rally in Maiduguri and campaign flag-off at the Shehu’s palace.
“The tumultuous crowd was intimidating and least expected by the APC stalwarts. It is on record that in the last decade, the people of Borno have been subjected to unprecedented emasculation by the APC government by denying them the basic necessities of life such as good healthcare, education for the children, properly settling the displaced persons, capital and support to start off those businessmen who were well to do before the insurgency but have been rendered poor today etc. Borno people have been enduring poverty, disease, intimidation and unnecessary emasculated of their fundamental right as human beings.
“The Borno State Government is undertaking projects under the guise of ‘Direct Labour’ to benefit themselves and their cronies in a state where the people need to be patronised with contracts in order to build up their capital base and enhance their livelihoods,” he said.
He recalled that PDP’s gubernatorial campaign team was attacked by the APC’s supporters at Bulumkuttu two weeks ago, while coming from the airport, after receiving the gubernatorial candidate, Alhaji Muhammed Ali Jajeri, the senatorial candidate for Borno Central, Hon. Mohammed Kumalia and their entourage.
“There was another attack before issuance of the death threats signifying readiness to go on a higher scale. Therefore, this power abuse and irresponsible leadership will not be tolerated forthwith. We in the PDP are law abiding citizens and shall continue to remain so and act responsibly,” he added.
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