• Military, police take over venue
  • We are here to maintain law and order – Police

From John Adams, Minna

Niger Governor Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello has stopped a planned solidarity rally by a Tinubu-Shettima support group at New Bussa, Borgu Local Government Area of the state.

The support group, Projects 774, had planned what it called a “Grand Luckdown Rally” for the presidential candidate and his running mate, as well as the governorship candidate and his running mate billed to hold at the New Bussa township stadium on Tuesday, January 31, to mobilise supporters for the candidates.

But a few hours to the rally, as early as 7:00 am, three Hilux vans loaded with military and mobile policemen stormed the newly built New Bussa multi-purpose sports complex, the venue of the rally sealed it up.

All the workers that had come to arrange the venue ahead of the rally that was meant to drum support for Tinubu who holds the traditional title of Jagaban of Borgu, were prevented from entry into the sports complex by the heavily armed military and the policemen.

The security men said the order to seal the venue was from above and therefore asked everyone to stay clear of the vicinity.

But a statement from the police public relation office of that Niger state command, DSP Wasiu Abiodun said the police had to take over the venue of the planned rally, as a proactive measure due to intelligence reports received of a likely breach of security at the venue.

According to him, “we have to do the needful to avert any possible attack or hijack by suspected miscreants to cause mayhem and breach of peace in the community.

“The Command will not fold its hands and allow acts of political violence, avoidable loss of life, destruction of properties and lawlessness,” the statement added.

However, a pointer to the stoppage of the rally emerged yesterday when the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) disassociated itself from the planned solidarity rally.

The State Working Committee of the party in a statement in Minna on Monday by the publicity secretary, Mallam Musa Dan Sarkindaji, said the chairman of the party, Hon Haliru Zakari Jikantoro, has disassociated itself from the rally.

The four-paragraph statement titled “Niger APC Disassociated Herself From Lockdown Rally in Borgu”, signed by the Publicity Secretary, also directed all party faithful not to honour and attend the rally, claiming that the planned rally contravene unified campaign structure as designed by the party.

According to the statement, “The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Niger State under the leadership of Hon Haliru Zakari Jikantoro has disassociated itself from lockdown rally organised in New Bussa, Borgu Local Government Area of the state.

“The party wishes to draw the attention of all party faithfuls not to honour and attend such rally as it contravenes with unified campaign structure as designed by the party”.

The Party instead urged its Executives, stakeholders and party loyalists to attend the grand zonal rally which is scheduled for Wednesday 2nd of February, 2023 Bida, headquarters of Bida local government.

it could be recalled that the Chief Whip of the senate, Senator Aliyu Abdullahi Sabi, representing Niger North Senatorial District, who is the National Coordinator, Project 774 for Tinubu/Shettima, 2023, had through his Special Assistant (operations), Hon Mohammed Garba Danladi in a letter dated 27/01/2023 and addressed to the state Party Chairman, Hon. Haliru Zakari Jikantoro notified the party of the planned rally.

Senator Sabi in the letter also stated that the State Working Committee of the party are invited to the Grand Lockdown Rally for the Candidates and their running mates on the need to galvanise support and positively enhance of the party at the polls.

Part of the letter reads; I am directed to invite you and your exco to the Grand Lockdown Rally in honour of Jagaban Borgu and Kashim Shettima, our party Presidential and Vice Presidential Candidates, Hon. Mohammed ago, with Comrade Yakubu Garba as Gubernatorial and Deputy Governorship Candidates for Niger state in the 2023 General Elections.

“In view of the need to galvanise support and positively enhance the chances of our party in the forthcoming elections, we wish to solicit and count on your unflinching support towards the success of the rally.”