Stop victimising our supporters in Zamfara, Oshiomhole tells Governor Mattawale

National chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, has advised Zamfara State governor, Bello Muhammad Mattawale, to allow multi-party democracy to thrive in the North West state.

The APC chairman’s call was sequel to the allegation of victimisation, intimidation and suppression levelled against the Zamfara State governor, Mattawale and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.

Immediate past governor of the state, Abdul Aziz Yari on Tuesday led the APC supporters to the APC national secretariat in Abuja to raise the alarm over alleged repressive acts by the Mattawale-led PDP government, using state apparatus.

Comrade Oshiomhole advised his party members to remain calm, law-abiding and remain committed to the APC.

He said: “I want to appreciate you former Governor Yari for maintaining your fighting spirit. I believe that our party in Zamfara State will be built and I’m happy you are building it.

“I can see the number of high profile politicians from Zamfara State that are here. I have taken note of your pain particularly with respect to those of our brothers and sisters who from your report have been oppressed or even sent to jail.

“I assure you we will take steps to intervene and see what we can do at the level of judicial intervention. I believe that Nigeria consciously settled for multi-party democracy. Once you have multi-party democracy, the ruling party must respect the rights of the opposition party.

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“As you have seen today you can be the ruling party, tomorrow you may become an opposition party. The rule of engagement must allow everyone regardless of political party affiliation to express himself, associate freely, enjoy the freedom of speech and freedom of movement. For me, these are universal values that are shared by all democrats around the world.

“I’m happy however that in spite of this repression and misuse of law enforcement agents to arraign and detain people unjustly, your spirit has not been detained. I’m one who believes that you can jail my flesh but you cannot jail my party’s spirit and once I’m committed to a cause, I will fight it to the conclusion. I want to thank you for maintaining peace.”

Earlier, Zamfara State chairman of the party, Honourable Lawal Liman, catalogued detention and imprisonment of several members at the APC, including members of the publicity committee.

He stated: “Shafi’u Bala Gusau and Nura Giradi who were kidnapped by police officers using mask suspected to be working under the directives of the ADC to the governor and they were taken to an unknown location suspected to be Government House Gusau.

“Though they were later released, they were strongly warned that they will be killed in the event that they continue to voice out their opinions on governance in the state as enshrined in the constitution.”

Liman further decried the arrest and detention of the former Commissioner, Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Honourable Muhammad Gomji, who has been in police custody since 25th November 2019 till date, among many others.