YARI, MARAFA APC FACTIONS CONDEMN ATTACK ON ZAMFARA PDP CONGRESS
The leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara state under the faction’s of the former Gov of the state Abdul’aziz Yari Abubakar and Sen. Kabiru Garba Marafa have condemned attack on the venue of the State Congress of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) by political thugs.
In a statements issued to journalists in Gusau the two factions dissociated themselves from the attack.
The Chairman Yari’s led APC faction in the state, Alhaji Lawal M Liman in a statement issued to journalists by its Chairman State Publicity Committee, Alhaji Ibrahim Birnin-Magaji described the act as undemocratic.
“Our attention was drawn to a recent statement credited to the state chapter of the PDP that the APC youths alleged attacked to it’s members and venue while conducting its state congress on Monday, 27/12/2021 in Gusau, the state Capital.
“In the Statement which went viral on Social Media quoted one Malam Aminu Gyangyam, Principal Private Secretary to Zamfara state Deputy Governor, Barrister Mahdi Aliyu alleging that the attack which left many properties belonging to PDP and its members including a copy of The Glorious Qur’an was unleashed by APC thugs alleged loyalists to Governor Bello Mohammed Matawalle APC camp.
“We want to state categorically that , the state APC chapter loyal to the former Gov Abdulaziz Yari was not part of this alleged dastardly, undemocratic and uncivilized act.
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“The faction under its Chairman, M Liman condemned the act calls and calls for full scale investigation by the state command of The Nigeria Police Force to unravel the perpetrators and sponsors of this callous act capable of jeopardizing the fragile security situation in the State”, Liman said.
According to him, it was not in the character of former Gov Yari while in office as the Gov of the state for 8 years to use any instrument of the party or government to cause mayhem to the opposition political parties at any point in time.
“Infact when the PDP was to hold its presidential campaign rally for 2019 General Election in Gusau, access to state government facility where it received its then Presidential Candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar was granted to the party by his administration” he added.
The Yari’s APC loyalists strongly believe in the freedom of association which provides equal opportunity to Nigerians to belong to a political party of their Choice and practice same with out let or hindrance as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic Of Nigeria.
Liman lauded members of the party under his watch for remaining peaceful and law abiding even at the face of current difficulties and persecution and urged them to sustain the magnitude.
Meanwhile, the Senator Kabiru Marafa’s Spokesperson Bello Bakyasuwa Maradun also in a statement condemned the political violence in the state following the attack on the PDP congress and describing it as “undemocratic”
Maradun said, “Senator Marafa-led faction of APC under the leadership of its Chairman, Hon. Sirajo Garba Maikatako, received with shock the news of violence meted on opposition PDP in the state during its state congress in Gusau, the capital on 27th December, 2021.
“We are worried that official statements attributed to the spokesperson to the Deputy Governor of Zamfara State who is one of the leading figures of PDP in the state associated the action with the ruling APC in the state.
“Although the statement pointed the accusing finger at thugs mobilized by Governor Bello Matawalle’s APC camp, we are using this medium to disassociate and distance the Senator Marafa-led APC from this undemocratic act against opposition groups.
“It is in record that Senator Kabiru Marafa is an advocate of rule of law and the principle of “live and let others live” from the testimonies of his uncountable public engagements as a Senator of the Republic of Nigeria and the leading figure of APC in Zamfara State”, Bakyasuwa Maradun said.
“On this note, the leadership of APC under Senator Marafa, condemns in totality the reported action against opposition PDP in the state and consider the action as barbaric, savage, desperate and primitive.
“We also call on the leadership of the police at State, Zonal and National levels to thoroughly investigate the matter and make the perpetrators and their sponsors face appropriate wrath of the law.
“We equally call on the police to use this incidence as a red flag and be on alert to avoid the occurrence of such cowardly act of desperate politicians without fear or favour.
“As democrats, we commend the conduct of the opposition PDP on the maturity exhibited in the face of violence and managing the situation. We also congratulate them on holding the congresses and emerging with the new Party leadership in the state.
“Notwithstanding, we hope that the new leadership of PDP in the state will in due course understand the progressive ideals of APC especially the commitment of Senator Marafa of building bridges beyond party affiliations to rescue Zamfara State from the grip of insecurity”, he explained.
