Sokoto State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has raised an alarm over alleged persecution by the state government.
A statement by the state chairman of the party, Bello Aliyu Goronyo made available to LEADERSHIP, alleged that “prominent members of the immediate past administration of Aminu Waziri Tambuwal are being hounded by an armed group on the orders of the state governor, Ahmed Aliyu.”
According to the statement, “victims of the ongoing harassment and assault include former members of the State Executive Council, the PDP 2023 governorship candidate, chief of staff to the governor and local government chairmen.
“The infractions are being perpetrated by APC members with the active participation of gun toting members of the police force.
“The offensives consist of daylight abductions at their residences and on the street and illegal detention with the police and later, incarceration at the government presidential lodge at Lodge Road Sokoto.”
“We are aware that apart from attempts at seizure of vehicles duly auctioned to political appointees of the previous administration, the sole aim of the so-called committee is to witch-hunt and humiliate prominent members of the PDP in Sokoto State,” the statement added.
The party further recalled that the policy of auctioning vehicles to political appointees started long before the administration of Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, having in the most recent time, been implemented by the government of Attahiru Bafarawa in 2007 and continued by the succeeding administration of Aliyu Wamakko.
“It is on record that Wamakko, as state governor in 2007 attempted to impound vehicles auctioned to his predecessor, Bafarawa, but he was stopped by a court and there is no subsequent court order on the matter that precedes that of 2007.
“We wish to however, make it unequivocally clear that the Sokoto PDP will no longer fold its arms, as its members are being hounded, assaulted and roundly abused by an illegal militia under the guise of a state government committee,” the party said.
