The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Kaduna State chapter has expressed fear that governor Nasiru Ahmed El-Rufai is making every effort to rig the coming elections in the state.
The party believed that governor El-Rufai is preparing to achieve selfish desire through the help of the security agencies.
The State publicity secretary, Abraham Alberah Catoh, in a statement said, “On January 29, 2019, the Nation newspaper’ carried a news story where Governor El-Rufai was quoted as saying some people in Southern Kaduna were bent in causing crisis before or during the governorship election in the area.
“The Governor went ahead to say that he had met with the nation’s security chiefs who have promised him that more security personnel would be deployed to the southern axis of the state for the election.
“For the PDP in Kaduna State, these provocative words from the governor simply lend credence to our belief that the governor is preparing to massively rig the coming elections with the help of security agencies.”
The party noted that at every given opportunity, the governor has not failed to consistently declare the Zone 3 as a den of troublemakers.
“He has done this in the vain hope that a lie told severally would become truth. Nasir El-Rufai also told this lie so as to have an alibi to compromise security personnel into helping him to swing votes for electoral victory in Southern Kaduna.
” The PDP wishes to declare that Governor El-Rufai is the greatest purveyor of lies, a religious bigot and advocate of hate speeches ever seen in the history of the state. Both conventional and unconventional media are awashed with several inciting statements that he made even before becoming the governor of Kaduna state,” the party declared.
The party added, “Since May 29, 2015 when he assumed reins of power, he has brought nothing but disdain to zone 3. He has insulted the people, unleashed a reign of intimidation on traditional institutions, sacked people from work and ensured that political dividends that come through appointments to Zone 3 are restricted to his cronies.
“He has threatened to relocate tertiary schools away from the Zone, apart from punitively shutting down schools and imposing a reckless, punitive and malicious 24-hour curfew that has never been seen in the State. As the polls approaches, the governor has intensified his capacity of spreading falsehood in a bid to create an impression that Southern Kaduna is not safe.
“If indeed Southern Kaduna is not safe can he tell the Security chiefs how he has so far successfully campaigned in the Zone without molestation, in contrast to the embarrassment he suffered in some Local Governments in the Northern part of the State like Birnin Gwari, Zaria and Sabon Gari? Why is he not talking of deploying troops there? Unless he wants to simply justify his long held belief that southern Kaduna is a PDP stronghold that must be won through other means; by disenfranchisement of the voters of the Zone through the Security Agents.
“He has deployed his propaganda machinery in convincing Security Chiefs to put more boots on the ground to enable him rig the polls, having been convinced that he has been rejected by an overwhelming majority of the State indigenes. He is frightened at the glaring defeat that stares him on the face. Aware that the people whom he has despised and humiliated are not willing to vote for him, he is doing everything possible to rig the poll.
“El-Rufai has introduced religion into the campaign, but adherents of both religions in Southern Kaduna and the entire State still insist on merit as a basis for support and votes.
“The people of Kaduna State have resolved to vote PDP and no amount of intimidation, bullying or wrong labelling would change that.
“While we promise to firmly vote and guard our votes in every peaceful manner as prescribed by the relevant rules governing the elections, we are putting the Federal Government and the international community on notice that Governor El-Rufai should be held responsible for any breakdown of law and order before and during the elections.”
The party called on security personnel that shall be deployed for duties to ensure fairness by responsibly discharging their responsibilities without any form of bias.
“The Security Officials must be conscious of the fact that they are accountable to all Nigerians, and not just some power-hungry politicians who are determined to throw the State into chaos in order to realise their inordinate ambitions.
“We remain committed to free, fair and credible elections and urge all, including the governor, to do the same,” the party assured.
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