In the build up to the general elections, Niger state has been witnessing series of violence to the extent that six youths were killed in one day on their way to PDP campaign. Amidst the heightened tension and orgy of violence that have characterized the campaigns, the two leading parties are beaming with optimism of winning the elections writes HAMMED SALAWU
Tension and apprehension now pervade the political climate in Niger state. The major political parties and their supporters are at one another’s throats as efforts to control the political turf have reached the boiling point. The ruling party, the Peoples Democratic Party, and the major opposition, the All Progressives Congress, APC, have been claiming superiority towards the rescheduled general elections. The APC is drawing its confidence from the fact that it now controls a sizeable number of aggrieved PDP members that recently swelled its rank.
Political intimidation, harassment, and even outright attacks are the order of the day. The recent tribunal judgment, which sacked the senatorial candidate of PDP, at the recent Niger-East senatorial by-election, Shem Zagbayi Nuhu, in favour of David Umoru of the APC, seems to have added impetus to the confidence of the opposition party in the state going forward.
The state government expressed great concern at the increasing wave of politically induced attacks in different parts of the state and has therefore vowed to deal decisively with the perpetrators of such violence and their sponsors.
Malam Danladi Ndayebo who is the Commissioner for Information and Strategy said government condemned the incidents especially the burning down of vehicles and bill boards and tearing of posters belonging to political parties and their candidates in some parts of the state.
“So far five vehicles have been burnt in the attacks which took place at Tegina, Suleja and Minna towns with all these vehicles believed to belong to the PDP supporters”.
The commissioner said government would not fold its hands and watch people unleash violence on innocent people. Ndayebo said the security agencies in the state had been put on red alert to arrest the perpetrators of this heinous crime and bring them to book.
He therefore called on all political parties in the state to call their members to order and enlighten them on how to embark on violence free campaigns, because according to him, violence negates all democratic tenets.
Also the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Alhaji Abdulllahi Bawa Wuse said all steps would be taken to ensure the application of the various laws forbidding the application of violence for any purpose in the state.
“Security agents in the state have been directed to arrest those involved and make them to face the law. We have insisted that the laws must be implemented to ensure that the peace in the state is sustained.”
Alhaji Bawa Wuse reminded residents of the state that illegal possession of weapons including guns, knives, machetes and daggers is an offence punishable under the law saying that nobody will be spared if arrested.
He also pointed at the trends which include the use of minors and young men to cause trouble maintaining that both the minors and their parents will be liable if arrested.
The Commissioner for Agriculture, Professor Mohammed Kuta Yahaya also appealed to the people and also assured of the safety of their lives and property before during and after the election adding that “nobody should panic for any reason whatsoever.”
Amidst tensions and acrimony, the PDP in the state is beating of being sure of victory at the polls, especially at the governorship level, while it has boasted that it would deliver nothing less than the constitutional requirement of 25% to Mr. President.
Though a PDP controlled state, there are factors that have made it a herculean task to win the state for the party at the presidential election. Factors such as religious sentiments, ethnicity, North/South dichotomy, all seem to favour the presidential candidate of APC, General Muhammadu Buhari, in Niger state, just as they did in 2011 elections.
Exuding the optimism of the PDP clinching victory, Governor Aliyu expressed the hope that the Peoples Democratic Party will win 80% of all elective positions slated for the general elections.
Aliyu who stated this in Minna after he swore in 14 new permanent secretaries at the council chambers said the party has put all the necessary machinery in motion to monitor voting at all the polling units in the state.
He explained that those that will be assigned with the responsibility of monitoring the election would be made to account for their stewardship by the party after the elections.
Challenging the governor’s optimism, the APC said it has 98.8% chances to throw the ruling PDP out of power in the state because of the high level of disenchantment of the people against the monumental failure of government and its gross underdevelopment of the state.
Comrade Sabo Muhammed, Secretary of the party in the state said adding that Niger state has become an APC state by virtue of the tremendous support of the people yearning for positive change in the state.
He said the people were dissatisfied with the mismanagement of scarce resources of the state by the PDP government and the way the state governor, Muazu Babangida Aliyu was conducting the affairs of the state.
“If you can go to the ordinary men on the streets, they are yearning for change and APC is set to change the maladministration of PDP misled government in Niger state. So if the members of APC can bring themselves together and work as members of genuine APC, the issue of PDP will be history in the state in 2015”.
He said that the turnout of members for the APC registration was tremendous and that the passion and enthusiasm with which the people had embraced the party in the state was an indication that the general election in Niger will be a walk over by APC.
The whirlwind of violence in the state recently cut six promising youths down in their prime. The PDP blamed the APC over the death of the youths in Dogo Fadama, Mariga local government area of the state.
The PDP Public Relations Officer (PRO), Hon. Hassan Saba revealed that APC supporters allegedly ambushed the campaign convoy of PDP guber candidate Umar Mohammed Nasko with intention to kill him.
He said the opposition party had realized that PDP is set to win the next governorship election and also consolidate its winning streak in other elective positions. He added that the looming defeat has made APC frustrated and desperate. He intimated that the attitude of the state opposition party is capable of plunging Niger into one of the worst political challenges since its creation in 1976.
“The opposition should hold its head in shame over the unfortunate death of six youths in Mariga. We know the misguided youths who laid ambush on our gubernatorial aspirant and his campaign team were offered money, alcohol and other illicit drugs.
“It is indeed a shame the Niger opposition party cannot play by the rules of the game. They have concluded plans to eliminate the PDP governorship aspirant in a desperate effort to frustrate the political process. It is indeed sad the opposition party in the state has allowed desperation to lead them into forming deadly youth gangs to ambush supporters of the ruling party.
“We must not forget that Boko Haram evolved from formation of political thugs. Niger APC is already laying the egg of hate and very soon, another monster would be hatched. If they are campaigning with such intensity of violence, then one can imagine what will become of the state as electioneering intensifies.”
He said Niger PDP has lost so many posters across the state on account of activities of hired thugs who have been induced by money and drugs to deface billboards of PDP candidates. He intimated that regardless of the violence, PDP will still win all elective positions in the state.
The spokesman of the PDP therefore called on party supporters, parents, religious leaders to caution youths against engaging in acts of violence. He said people must realize no politician is worth dying for. He added that those managing affairs of APC are only interested in their personal gains and not the welfare of their supporters, the country or the sanctity of democracy.
At the recent PDP presidential rally in Minna, echoes of the readiness of the PDP to clinch victory at the polls reverberated. President Goodluck Jonathan showed his unequalled supports, love and admiration to the youth, who had gathered to give all the necessary encouragement to one of their own, the youthful PDP gubernatorial candidate in the forth coming election, Alhaji Umar Mohammed Nasko, described as the youngest governorship candidate in the election.
President Jonathan poured all imaginable encomiums on the courage and perseverance of the Nigerian youth, who deserved all necessary support and encouragement to aspire to any office in the country.
The President said whoever is aspiring to rule at the highest level in Nigeria should follow the right path. “The right path is the PDP, which believes in ensuring that the young people take their destinies in their hands and aspire to leadership positions.
“You can see that the PDP gubernatorial candidate in the state Alhaji Umar Nasko is presentable, that is what PDP is all about, presenting young people like Nasko, a youthful governor who will adequately take care of the interests of the youths and women, all you need to do is to vote for the PDP at all levels”.
President Goodluck Jonathan pledged to empower the youths and give them more opportunities stating that “the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is paving the right path for the country, that it is the young people who will lead the country to the heights it should attain”.
According to him, his administration would create opportunities for the youths and give them leadership positions to prepare them for the future.
“We need youths who will lead the country to where it should go. Young people will bring glory to the country. We are going to create opportunities for them especially leadership opportunities.”
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