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…Says ADC ‘ll not bow to intimidation
African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has raised the alarm about an alleged plot by the government to scuttle the flag-off of his 2027 presidential campaign scheduled for Sokoto, on Wednesday.
Atiku, while speaking at a press briefing, in Abuja, on Tuesday, stated that information at his disposal indicates a protest is allegedly being orchestrated in Sokoto so as to give the All Progressives Congress(APC) controlled government in the state an opportunity to declare curfew in the state.
According to him, “We know where some of these protesters are assembled: an office behind Zenith Bank on Koko Road. Trucks are stationed there and dispatched to key points, including the roundabout. These mobilised protesters are causing gridlock. Commuters are being threatened and, in some cases, beaten. Some of the protesters have moved away from the roundabout to find shade.”
The former Vice President who noted that the plot of the APC is allegedly to create a one party, said the ADC would not be intimated, stating that the party would proceed with its campaign flag-off in Sokoto on Wednesday.
“What is unfolding in Sokoto is not ordinary political competition. It is a calculated campaign to frustrate the African Democratic Congress, obstruct our campaign and deny Nigerians the freedom to choose.
“Public facilities that should be available to every political party for legitimate campaign activities have been blocked. Logistical support has been withheld. These are not harmless administrative delays. They are deliberate attempts to deny the ADC a level playing field…
“The ADC will resist every gimmick, administrative roadblock and underhand manoeuvre designed to exclude the opposition or impose a one party reality on Nigeria. We will not be intimidated into silence or irrelevance. Our campaign will proceed, and I will be in Sokoto tomorrow, God willing, to address the good people of the state.
“I call on the people of Sokoto to remain calm and peaceful. Do not allow anyone to provoke you or turn a political gathering into a security crisis. I also urge the security agencies to protect commuters, residents and rally participants without favour. The authorities must ensure that our rally can hold peacefully and without interference,” Atiku stated.
The ADC candidate, while noting that the 2027 general election is a defining moment for the country’s democracy, stated that the present administration, which has allegedly “unleashed a crushing cost of living crisis and now appears determined to frustrate Nigerians’ democratic right to choose a different path.”
