The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to call the Zamfara state governor, Bello Matawalle, to order over his alleged role in the on-going clampdown on its leaders.
The party also charged the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, to investigate the Zamfara state government.
Addressing a press conference Friday in Abuja, the party’s national publicity secretary, Debo Ologunagba, said the All Progressives Congress (APC) was being disoriented by the increasing popularity of the PDP and its candidates ahead of the 2023 general elections.
Ologunagba said because of the popularity of its candidates, the APC had allegedly scaled up vicious assault and clampdown on its candidates and other patriotic Nigerians in an attempt to silence their leaders.
“As we address you today, the Governor Bello Matawalle-led APC administration in Zamfara state has reportedly set up a killer squad in connivance with some elements in the Police which has commenced a brutal crackdown, arrest and detention of notable PDP leaders in Zamfara state based on unfounded allegations as part of APC’s plot to harass our leaders and other dissenting voices in the state.
“The PDP has information of how the PDP Senatorial candidate and director-general of the PDP Governorship Campaign Council in Zamfara state, Ikra Aliyu Bilbis, Captain Bala Mai Riga and other notable members of the PDP were hounded, arrested and illegally held in de-humanising detention facilities by the Police reportedly on the orders of Governor Matawalle.
“Our Party has also been made aware of plots by the Governor Matawalle-led APC administration to arrest and detain the PDP Governorship Candidate in Zamfara state, Dr. Dauda Lawal,” he said.
Ologunagba said further that the security operatives attached to its candidate had been withdrawn reportedly on the orders of Governor Matawalle.
