…Threatens mass protest

By Austine Agbo Emmanuel, Kaduna

The Kaduna State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has alleged a coordinated assault on opposition voices by Governor Uba Sani’s administration, following the detention of its Chikun/Kajuru Federal Constituency by-election candidate, Princess Esther Ashivelli Dawaki, and the prolonged custody of its Campaign Director General, Alhaji Shehu Fatangi.

In a statement released on Tuesday and signed by the State Chairman, Sir Edward Percy Masha, the party described the arrests as a flagrant abuse of state authority and a direct affront to democratic values.

According to the PDP, Dawaki was summoned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday, August 25, and subsequently detained without bail. The statement further noted that Fatangi had been held in EFCC custody for 12 days, despite fulfilling all conditions for administrative bail.

Recounting events from the eve of the August 16 by-election, the PDP claimed that security personnel operating under “Operation Fushin Kada,” and allegedly acting on orders from the state government, stormed a hotel being used as its campaign office. The operation led to the arrest of its candidate and campaign leaders, alongside the confiscation of campaign funds earmarked for election logistics.

The opposition party further alleged that Fatangi was later handed over to the Department of State Services (DSS), where he was publicly branded as a PDP operative involved in vote buying before being transferred back to the EFCC.

“This action is a glaring example of executive excess, reflecting a climate where force dictates justice,” the statement asserted.

The PDP called for the immediate release of all detained members, cautioning that failure to comply would compel it to mobilise supporters across the state to stage demonstrations at the EFCC facility in Kaduna.

Appealing directly to EFCC Chairman Mr Olanipekun Olukoyede for swift intervention, the PDP declared its determination to resist the use of security and anti-graft agencies as political weapons.

“We will not sit idly by while our members are oppressed. The PDP remains steadfast in defending democracy and will continue to hold the government accountable,” the statement concluded.