Hundreds of people on Sunday staged a rally around the streets of Hadejia Local Government Area of Jigawa State, protesting against a senator, Ubale Shitu, who recently defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The protesters went from Hadejia sugarcane factory to the emir’s palace demanding Mr Shitu’s resignation from the National Assembly. They chanted derogatory comments against the senator, singing “whoever rejected Buhari is a thief.”
The protesters defied downpour, carrying placard with photos of Mr Shitu and other statements like “Say no to Saraki’s errands boy” “A corrupt mind can’t cope with Buhari’s administration” “Buhari is our savior” “Buhari till 2023.”
Mr Shitu is one of the fifteen senators who recently defected from the APC. He represents Jigawa North-east Senatorial District and is a strong opposition to Governor Mohammed Badaru. Even when the senator was in the APC alongside Mr Badaru, he had vowed to help unseat the Jigawa governor.
The convener of the rally, Bala Umar, who is a chieftain of the APC and ally to Mr Badaru, told journalists that the rally was held to show the public that Mr Shitu’s defection to PDP was not in the interest of his constituents.
“Before Mr Shitu defected to PDP, whenever you came to his official residence in Hadejia, you will fine hundreds of people with him. But since he announced his defection to PDP, he is now sneaking out and in of Hadejia in fear,” said Mr Umar.
When contacted, Mr Shitu’s spokesperson, Bala Aji, said “I’m aware of the rally but I have to contact my boss who just left Hadejia to Kano before I can comment on the rally, I will call you back.”
He did not get back as at the time of this report.
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