A video has gone viral showing the Kano State chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Abbas, describing the supplementary governorship election in the state as a “do or die.”
In the short video, the party chairman also assures supporters his party would provide maximum protection for its members even if it means ensuring the dismissal of police officers who try to restore order.
Dressed in a white Kaftan and a white cap, Mr Abbas sat on a plastic chair in a house presumed to be his residence. Surrounding him were youth applauding his remarks.
Speaking in Hausa, he said his listeners should stand against any opposition that comes their way during the elections.
“There is every possibility that you can be arrested. But let me tell you; before you get to the police station we will make sure you are released and the police that arrested you will likely lose his job.
“We are going to give you every protection that is required. This election is a matter of do or die for us. We must win this election,” Mr Abbas said.
The video was not shot by PREMIUM TIMES but a check revealed that it was uploaded on the internet on March 13.
Kano State is among the six states where the governorship elections were declared inconclusive. Others are Plateau, Adamawa, Sokoto and Bauchi states. Before the declaration in Kano, the PDP was leading the APC in the governorship election in the state.
Before the announcement of the election result, the deputy governor of Kano State, Nasir Gawuna, and the commissioner in charge of local government and chieftaincy affairs, Sule Garo, were arrested for trying to disrupt the announcement of the results.
The two officials were arrested some minutes after 2 a.m. Monday after they arrived at the venue of the state collation centre and began to disrupt the process.
Their action led to a halt in the announcement of results at the centre after some youth suspected to be supporters of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) tried to attack the two officials.
The police later released Mr Gawuna without charges as he enjoys constitutional immunity from prosecution based on the office he holds.
The Kano police spokesperson later claimed the deputy governor was not arrested and was only rescued from the mob.
