The Zamfara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has raised concerns over what it described as plans to use illegal armed volunteers, known as “Yansakai,” in today’s by-election for the Kaura Namoda South State House of Assembly seat.
The allegation was made in a statement issued in Gusau by the APC’s publicity secretary, Yusuf Idris, who warned that the development posed a threat to voters’ safety.
“There were plans for the engagement of illegal security outfits in the election process by some desperate politicians,” Idris said.
He claimed that suspicious movements had been noticed in parts of the state ahead of the exercise. “We have noticed the movement of some suspected miscreants in the state for them to participate in the forthcoming by-election for Kaura Namoda South state assembly constituency,” he said.
Idris alleged that the situation was being sponsored by the Peoples Democratic Party. “This is an alarming situation used by the PDP in their desperate move to forcefully ensure that their candidate is declared the winner at the end of the election, no matter who gets wounded or killed,” he said.
He urged security agencies to act quickly and ensure that only recognized security outfits like the police, the SSS, and the NSCDC were allowed to provide protection during the election.
But the Peoples Democratic Party dismissed the allegations. Its state publicity secretary, Halliru Andi, described the claims as false and politically motivated.
“All the allegations by the APC against the PDP are not true,” Andi said.
He accused the APC of raising unfounded claims out of fear of losing the election. “Their claims are nothing but distractions meant to incite unrest,” he added.
