The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kaduna State has alleged that its House of Representatives candidate for the Chikun/Kajuru Federal Constituency by-election, Princess Esther Ashivelli Dawaki, was abducted alongside 25 of her supporters by security operatives.
In a statement issued on Saturday, August 16, the party’s chairman, Sir Edward Percy Masha, claimed the operation was carried out by “Operation Fushin Kada,” a joint security task force under the Kaduna State Government.
According to the PDP, the operatives stormed City Den Hotel in Malali in the early hours, broke into a room in search of the PDP Campaign Council Chairman, Hon. Hussein Ahmed-Kero, and, when they failed to find him, allegedly whisked away Dawaki and others.
The party described the development as “a brazen act of harassment, intimidation, and insanity,” allegedly masterminded by Governor Uba Sani and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). It demanded the immediate and unconditional release of its candidate and supporters.
The PDP further called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Inspector General of Police, the Director General of the DSS, the Chief of Army Staff, and the Chief of Defence Staff to intervene, accusing the security forces of being deployed to suppress the opposition ahead of the polls.
It also urged civil society organisations and “all lovers of democracy” to resist what it termed an assault on democratic freedoms and the constitution in Kaduna State. “For the avoidance of doubt, the PDP will not be intimidated or silenced,” the statement read, vowing to resist any attempt to undermine the electoral process.
The party maintained that the alleged clampdown was a clear sign of “desperation and fear of defeat” by the ruling APC.
