The Police, soldiers, men of the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, Civil Defence Corps and the local vigilante group, on Tuesday cordoned the New Bussa Township Stadium, Borgu Local Government Area venue for the planned APC presidential and governorship candidates’ rally.
The security operatives, according to a report by Vanguard, were deployed to the venue of the rally, fixed to hold by 11am to 2pm, as early as 8am.
While the police officers were sent from the state headquarters to join their colleagues in New Bussa to make sure that no one gets into the fully prepared venue, the army arrived in two loaded pick-up vehicles.
The police officers at the event turned away journalists, invited visitors, and supporters, claiming an “order from above.”
The closure of the stadium came barely 24 hours after the commissioning of the rehabilitated New- Bussa Township Stadium, Borgu, Niger State, by the Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi (APC, Niger North) who rehabilitated the said stadium.
A support group known as Group 774, led by Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi of Niger North, had organized a “Grand Lockdown Rally” for Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Senator Kashim Shettima, the presidential candidate, as well as Umar Mohammed Bago and Comrade Yakubu Garba, the gubernatorial candidate.
The massive gathering was scheduled to gather supporters for the candidates today, Tuesday, at the stadium in the New Bussa township.
The planned demonstration was announced to the party in a letter dated January 27 and addressed to the state party chairman, Haliru Zakari Jikantoro, by the Deputy Whip of the Senate, who is also the National Coordinator for Project 774 for Tinubu/Shettima, 2023.
In the letter, Senator Sabi also mentioned that the party’s State Working Committee had been invited to the “Grand Lockdown Rally” for the candidates and their running mates in order to rally support and improve the party’s chances of winning the election.
The party’s State Working Committee, however, said in a statement released on Monday in Minna by the media secretary, Mallam Musa Dan Sarkindaji, that Haliru Zakari Jikantoro, the party chairman, had disassociated himself from the protest.
The publicity secretary of the Niger APC issued a four-paragraph statement with the title “Niger APC Disassociated Herself From Lockdown Rally in Borgu” directing all party supporters not to honor and attend the planned rally on the grounds that it would violate the party’s unified campaign structure.
The statement read, “The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Niger State under the leadership of Haliru Zakari Jikantoro has disassociated itself from lockdown rally organized in New Bussa, Borgu Local Government Area of the state.
“The party wishes to draw attention of all party faithful not to honour and attend such rally as it contravene with unified campaign structure as designed by the party.”
The party instead urged its executives, stakeholders and party loyalists to attend the grand zonal rally which is scheduled for Wednesday, February 1 in Bida, headquarters of Bida Local Government.
However, no reason was given for the action of the party, but it was gathered that the state governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, who is the leader of the party in the state, had instructed the party to stay away from the planned rally, a confirmation of the Cold War between him and the senator, the organiser of the rally.
Why we sealed of stadium — Police
However, DSP Wasiu Abiodun, Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Niger State Police Command said in a reaction that the Police had to take over the venue of the planned rally, as a proactive measure due to intelligence received of likely breach of security at the venue.
“Hence, we have to do the needful to avert any possible attack or hijack by suspected miscreants to cause mayhem and breach of peace in the community.
“The Command will not fold its alms and allow act of political violence, avoidable loss of life, destruction of properties and lawlessness,” Abiodun added.