■ ‘Allegations wild, unsubstantiated’
From Sola Ojo, Kaduna
As the renewed political war between the Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai and Senator representing Kaduna Central in the upper chamber of National Assembly, Shehu Sani continues, some hoodlums have launched fresh attack on the Constituency office of the lawmaker located at number 1 Junction Road, by Stadium roundabout Kaduna, Kaduna North Local Government Area of the state where phones and other communication gadgets were reportedly stolen from victims of the attack.
According to a report made available to Sunday Sun by Senior Special Adviser (Political) to Senator Sani, Suleiman Ahmed on Saturday afternoon, the onslaught was a continuation of the attack on the family house of the lawmaker at Tudun Wada Kaduna. According to him, “they are just jealous of senator’s political achievements. The Senior Special Adviser on Politics to the Governor, Uba Sani is behind all these things. But then, that will not deter the senator from listening to the people and putting their interest above the party’s or personal interest.
“They started on Friday. They laid siege on the senator’s family house on Friday before Police came and dispersed them using teargas. This Saturday afternoon again, they attacked his constituency office around stadium roundabout. I was informed that the attackers, who were armed, stormed the office where some people were having meeting and destroyed what they could and collected their phones and all that.
We called the police to put the situation under control.”
Unofficial sources said that police have taken over the building to calm the situation.
However, Senator Shehu Sani, who had just returned from a foreign trip confirmed the attack on his constituency office via his social media pages. “Some few minutes ago, I received a report that some heavily armed thugs raided and attacked my constituency office located at Stadium Roundabout by constitution Road Kaduna. They unleashed terror on my social media team who were meeting in the office. They vandalized the office in their violent act. “We have the lead and the information that the thugs were fully recruited and paid by political appointees of Governor Nasiru El-Rufai. We have the names of the political appointees and we have the names of those they are funding. Right now, their details have been given to the DSS and the police for investigation. “Two days ago, attempt to burn down my family house in Alkalawa Road, Tudun Wada Kaduna by sponsored thugs, was thwarted by vigilant residents and neighbors, which led to the brief deployment of policemen in the area.
“I wish to state it categorically clear that I hold Governor Nasiru El-Rufai personally responsible for whatever happens to me or any of my family members or supporters. After the use of financial inducement on APC Excos in the state to silence Shehu Sani in the name of suspension which never worked, they have now taken to the road of violence.
“The Governor of the state or his desperate political appointees should know that we can never be silenced, cowed or intimidated. I call on my supporters never to take the road of violence or retaliation.
We are men of ideas, of ideals and of peace. Those who take to the road of violence have no place in a democratic society”, Sani stressed. In a swift reaction to the allegation leveled against him as being the one behind APC crisis in Kaduna, Special Adviser on Political Matters to the Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, warned Senator Shehu Sani to stop his political tantrums and grow up from being childish. He stressed that the lawmaker was only ranting because of his suspension from the party in the state.. “It has become imperative to set the record straight. Everyone knows that it is Shehu Sani that has spent 18 months attacking the governor personally and opposing every government policy. The government has ignored his tantrums, while the party has acted to uphold discipline. Shehu Sani should keep the government out of his woes. “We are beneficiaries of democracy and we champion an open society. We respect democratic values and will never resort to unconstitutional means of settling differences. He should be careful not to make wild and unsubstantiated claims, ”Uba Sani added.