APGA: Insecurity in Zamfara May Threaten Presidential Election

Ahead of the February 16 and March 2 elections, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has expressed concern over threats posed by rising insecurity in Zamfara State.

The party specifically pointed to an alleged threatening statement by the state Governor, Abdulaziz Yari, that election might not hold unless candidates of the APC are included in the ballot.

While lamenting the recent brutal killing of many people, including Senator Kabiru Marafa's sister in the state, Shinkafi said unless drastic measures are taken to arrest the situation, it might affect the smooth conduct of the elections in the area.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, the governorship candidate of APGA in Zamfara State, Alhaji Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi, said more than 400 people are under captivity in the state and many electoral wards under siege.

According to him, "I am constrained to bring to the attention of the world the threat by the Zamfara State, Governor, Yari, to stop the 2019 general election in the state. We demand that Yari be invited by security agencies to explain his threat, as would have been the case in civilized societies."

Shinkafi said he and the APGA campaign team have decided to suspend rallies in the state to enable them pay their last respects to those who lost their lives.

Speaking on the forthcoming elections and the likely consequences the dire security situation would have in the state, Shinkafi expressed dismay at a statement credited to the state governor in which he allegedly threatened that there will be no elections in the state, if APC candidates were disallowed.

He said anything that would scuttle the election in Zamfara State will invariably put the presidential election in serious jeopardy.

"I have suspended my campaign in the state following the fresh attacks on communities by bandits. I wish to call on the government and security agencies to come up with practical measures that will adequately bring the activities of the bandits to an end," he said.

Shinkafi who is the former National Secretary of APGA, called on President Muhammadu Buhari to caution Yari to desist from making such reckless statement.

According to the APGA governorship candidate, such unguarded utterances by the governor, who is the chief security officer of the state, is capable of undermining the security of the country as well as threaten the smooth conduct of the February 16 and March 2nd elections.

He further called on the security agencies to carry out a thorough investigation of the causes of incessant attacks by bandits in the state, insisting that the situation is taking political connotation.

Shinkafi also appealed to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to consider relocating polling stations from crisis areas to safer areas to enable those fleeing from the troubled areas to vote.