By Abdallah el-Kurebe, Editor
#TrackNigeria: Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State has appealed to United States Government to intervene in alleged Federal government’s harassment and intimidation of supporters of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during the forth-coming governorship and state assembly election.
The governor who made the appeal when he received the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Stuart Symington in Sokoto Thursday said leaders and loyalists of the opposition PDP were intimidated during the last.
According to him, many PDP members were hounded and arrested by security agents on the election day.
“Our appeal is to ensure the electorate in whichever political parties are not intimidated or terrorised. They sent operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after our members without first inviting them to their (EFCC’s) office. Some could not discharge their civic responsibilities during the February 23 presidential and National Assembly elections.
“I want appeal to the US government to call on the Nigerian government to allow the will of the people to determine who leads them. This should not be allowed during the forthcoming governorship and State House of Assembly elections slated to hold on March 9.
“The opposition APC has engaged in post-election violence, with attacks on citizens and razing many properties and houses within and outside the metropolis in the state, in a show of terror against perceived opponents and non-partisan members of the public,” Tambuwal told the US Envoy.
Speaking earlier, Symington said he was in Sokoto to encourage more peaceful atmosphere before, during and beyond the elections.
“There is no development that can take place without peace. I appeal on all stakeholders and the good people of Sokoto to ensure peaceful elections,” he said.
