Two months after a query was issued to a first class traditional ruler in the state for receiving some national leaders of the All Progressives Congress in his palace, the party on Wednesday condemned the high level of political intolerance and impunity of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party after its recent intimidation and harassment of former Commissioner for Science and Technology, Alhaji Abubakar Katcha, who defected to the opposition.
Spokesman of the opposition party, Jonathan Vatsa, complained that members of the party and her supporters are being intimidated by the state government and its agents for no just cause.
Vatsa said that the ruling party’s intolerance stemmed out of the realisation of the reality of loss of its political relevance in the state and resort to intimidating members of the opposition.
Vatsa said the party had earlier protested the query issued a first class traditional ruler in the state for receiving some national leaders of APC in his palace in August.
The Emir was even barred from proceeding on overseas medical treatment as a deterrent to other royal fathers believed to have sympathy for the APC.
The party’s spokesman said the recent intimidation and harassment of Katcha who defected to the opposition was the climax of political intolerance of the Governor Mu’azu Babangida-led administration.
Katcha was directed via a letter dated October 17 by the Secretary to the State Government, Hon. Saidu Idris Kpaki, to return a car given to him as a loan within seven days for his inability to redeem the cost of the car put at N5.39 million.
But the former Commissioner said he was shocked that out of the eight former Commissioners that served the PDP government, he was being singled out due to his crossing over to the APC.
Katcha, who has since Monday returned the car to the office of the SSG, armed with documents to prove injustice, said he was shocked to be told that for the 22 months he served government, money had been deducted from his pay for the car.
According to him: “I am sure out of the eight of us that were disengaged as Commissioner, I am the only one being witch hunted just because I decamped to APC.
“This is a government that deducted N110,000 monthly from my salary for 22 months and alleged I have not paid a dime.
“What happened to my severance allowance that is yet to be paid?”
Vatsa then cautioned the state government to desist from further intimidation of opposition members.
He said: “The growing level of political intolerance is becoming alarming. Let the PDP stop intimidating our members and most important, they should stop harassing our revered traditional rulers and the institution they represent.
“No amount of intimidation and impunity will help the sinking ship of PDP in the state. It is high time the ruling party be civil in his action. After Katcha served meritoriously, he should not be so treated just because he dumped the PDP for a more focused and result oriented APC.
“We demand the return of Katcha’s car and payment of his severance allowance. We demand for a stop of the intimidation of royal fathers and our members.”