Fear heightens in Kano ahead of gov’ship poll

Ahead of Saturday’s gubernatorial poll, there is tension among residents of Kano State following a rise in clashes among party supporters.

The State Police Command has already raised an alarm saying it had received intelligence that some politicians are planning to import thugs into the state to disrupt the gubernatorial and state assembly elections this Saturday.

This alarm and the accusation and counter-accusation by leading political parties in the state have further heightened fear of election violence in the state akin to what was witnessed in some local governments of the state during the presidential and National Assembly elections on February 25 as well as the violence that broke out during and after the 2019 gubernatorial election in the state.

The Commissioner of Police, Mamman Dauda, in a statement on Monday through the spokesman, SP Haruna Kiyawa, said the “disgruntled politicians” have concluded their heinous plans to make the state ungovernable during the Saturday polls.

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The CP warned “all thugs, mischief makers and miscreants to stay clear of the state as the command will not relent in its effort at dealing decisively with troublemakers.”

He also stressed that the command, in liaison with other security agencies in the state, would ensure the arrest and prosecution of all suspects, adding that thugs arrested would be charged to court alongside their sponsors.

Similarly, governorship candidates of nine political parties on Monday at a joint press conference called on security agencies to go all out to rid the state of thugs said to have been brought in to disrupt the electoral process.

Speaking on behalf of the coalition, Sheikh Ibrahim Khalil, the gubernatorial candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), said they also have reports that there were “moves to provide security agencies’ uniforms to political thugs during the March 11 governorship election.’’

They called on “relevant stakeholders, especially security agencies, state/national peace committees, human rights organisations, international and domestic observers and media to do the needful in addressing the unfortunate situation for peace and stability to prevail.’’

“We are also appealing to INEC to mobilise election materials to polling units on time for the process to kick start appropriately.  As there are allegations of plans to delay the process especially in Kano central.”

Other governorship candidates that jointly signed the press release are: Bala Muhammad Gwagwarwa (SDP), Sadiq Aminu Wali (PDP), Salihu Tanko Yakasai (PRP), Yakubu Uba Gaya (YPP), Ibrahim Muhammad (APP), Hajiya Aisha Mahmud (NRM), Hajiya Furera Ahmad (Booth Party), and Sha’aban Ibrahim Sharada (ADC).

NNPP, APC trade allegations over thuggery, election manipulation 

Meanwhile, as the police and the nine opposition parties did not identify the alleged importers of thugs, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the leading opposition New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) have continued to trade allegations on the issue.

At a news conference on Monday, the NNPP through Abdullahi Baffa Bichi, its senatorial candidate for Kano North, alleged that “we are aware that thousands of bandits from Chad and Niger republics as well as from Katsina and Kaduna states have been hired and brought into Kano State by the Gandujiya administration to be used to disrupt the elections.”

Bichi also alleged that there was a plan to delay the delivery of sensitive materials as witnessed during the presidential and National Assembly elections.

“Already a large sum of money in foreign currency was advanced to the ad hoc staff that attended the meetings to share as part payment with a promise to allocate land to them at the end of the exercise. And the sum of N20,000 is being transferred to the accounts of many ad hoc staff allegedly from the Kano State government,” he alleged.

But reacting to the two allegations, the Commissioner for Information and spokesman of APC campaign council, Muhammad Garba, told Daily Trust that being in government, they were privy to security report which allegedly indicated that those were what the NNPP was planning to do “as they did during the just concluded presidential election.”

He said it was because the NNPP knew that their plan had been leaked that they (NNPP) “are making frantic effort to cover up by doing counter-attack. They know they are not only going to lose this election, but their grand plan has been exposed and because of that they are jittery and trying to turn the table with these allegations that security report has said they (NNPP) are planning.”

“Everybody knows NNPP is the one indoctrinating youths to even become obstinate and not listen to their parents. They are also the ones known for importing thugs as evidenced in all their rallies, which has led to loss of lives. APC remains peace-loving and we will support the security agencies to ensure that the election is peaceful across the state,” he said.

Residents fear outbreak of  violent 

Daily Trust reports that there has been heightened tension in the state over the governorship election, which analysts have said is a battle between APC and NNPP.

While pockets of violence were reported during the campaign period, there were violent clashes between supporters of the two parties a day to the presidential election in Kano City, while on the election day, arson and killings were reported in Takai and Tudunwada local governments.

The Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Alhassan Ado Doguwa, was arrested and arraigned in court on charges of arson and murder over the Tudunwada violence.

The heightened fear leading to this Saturday poll, according to residents, was not unconnected to the tone of the campaign and violence that broke out leading to the death of more than 20  people in the local government areas outside the metropolis.

The residents also said the clash between some hoodlums and NNPP supporters when Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso returned to the state prior to the presidential election was a harbinger of election violence they have been dreading for months.

“Although Kano metropolitan areas did not witness any major unrest during the presidential and National Assembly elections, the reports of violence in places like Takai and Tudunwada, where several people were said to have been killed and houses set ablaze, have made many of us to be dreading this coming election.

“Go around Kano metropolis and you can sense the fear. Many people have not even resumed their normal activities since the February 25 election. Most of my neighbours have kept their children away from school. The streets are mostly scanty, of activities” a resident, Binta Abdullahi, said.

Another resident, Hafsat Magaji, said the history of electoral violence in Kano was what was making everyone scared of the forthcoming polls.

“Actually looking at previous elections in Nigeria and Kano specifically, we should just pray. We the voters are fully prepared and I wish the youth will calmly go to the polling units and vote whoever they want to vote and leave the polling units without making any trouble.

“I just hope we are now civilised; lets show our education while exercising our franchise and avoid any confusion because of party politics.

“The way the politicians are creating problems here and there is my major concern. We wish and pray for God’s intervention,” she said.

Reacting, Ibrahim Waiya, the Head of Secretariat of Kano Peace Committee, said it was quite unfortunate that politicians in the state have become desperate to the point of considering importing and unleashing thugs on the masses because of power, saying findings have shown that this path was similar to how the Boko Haram insurgency started in Borno State.

“If this plan is not nipped in the bud, Kano may never know peace again”, he said adding that the desperation of politicians has become so pathetic and this is what the peace committee has been trying to avoid by getting the candidates and their parties to sign a peace accord.

He cautioned politicians that in the interest of humanity, they should have a rethink and remember that power is given by God. He also called on security agencies to be alive to their responsibility by ensuring that whoever has the sinister idea is picked up before getting the opportunity to execute such. He also called for more vigilance at all entry points into the state.