PDP petitions Police of plot to use Anti-thuggery operatives to disrupt elections in Zamfara
PDP petitions Police of plot to use Anti-thuggery operatives to disrupt elections in Zamfara
From: Our Correspondent
The People Democratic Party in Zamfara State has petitioned the Commissioner of Police, Zamfara State Command over plans by the Zamfara State Government to use Anti-thuggery operatives to disrupt the Saturday’s Gubernatorial and State Assembly Elections.
In the petition letter signed by the State Secretary of the party, Muhammad Zangina Abdullahi, the PDP said that the plan to use what it described as “illegal body” in Saturday’s elections contravened the provision of Section 78 of the Electoral Act. 2022.
The party added that the move also contravened Section 83 of the Police Establishment Act 2020 and Section 227 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.
According to the party, the aforementioned sections of extant laws have conferred every citizen in Nigeria a liberty to exercise his or her civic rights without hindrances.
The party explained that despite getting approval from security agencies to conduct political activities and campaign rallies throughout the state, the convoy of the party’s gubernatorial candidate, Dr Dauda Lawal Dare was attacked by the Anti-thuggery operatives on March 16 at about 9:00 p.m. in Gusau.
It added that the Anti-thuggery operatives, which was not recognized by any law were also used to attack and injured one Sergeant Daniel John, a police personnel attached to the PDP gubernatorial candidate.
“It is also on record that on Feb. 23, the same Anti-thuggery operatives attacked the convoy of the wife of our gubernatorial candidate in Gusau, leading to several casualties.
“It is, therefore, the stand of Zamfara State Peoples Democratic Party that the plan of Zamfara State Government to deploy the Anti-thuggery operatives for the Elections of March 18, clearly contravened provisions of Section 78 of the Electoral Act. 2022, Section 83 of the Police Establishment Act 2020, and Section 227 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.
“Our party members are all law-abiding citizens who would not like to resort to self-help or take laws into their hands in order to forestall anarchy and the chaos arising from the planned illegal and unlawful deployment of your personnel and the so-called Anti-thuggery operatives on the election day,” the party said.
The party urged the Commissioner of Police to use his good office and take measures to arrest the foreseeable security breach that would be inevitable considering the serious security situation in the state.
It also called on the Commissioner to ensure that the Anti-thuggery operatives were not allowed to take part in the conduct of the Saturday’s elections.
The party equally urged the police commissioner to ensure that all police officers deployed for the election should wear a name tag and ranks to avoid mistaken them for fake police during the election.
“We urge you to take adequate step by mandating your personnel to be very vigilant in discharging their duties on the election day.
“We want to reiterate that the Zamfara State Peoples Democratic party’s commitment to public peace and welfare of our people,” the party said.
