The political scenario in Niger State is getting tougher as the Peoples Democratic Party in the state on Sunday raised the alarm over the defacing of bill boards and posters of its candidates by the opposition party in the state, the All Progressives Congress.
The PDP Publicity Secretary in the state, Alhaji Hassan Saba, said the attacks and defacing of PDP candidates’ billboards and posters by the APC will not provoke the party to retaliate.
Saba said in a telephone chat: “We (PDP) will never retaliate because we are a peaceful party.
“We refuse to be provoked.
“We are abiding by the violence-free accord signed in Abuja.
“We are aware of the defacing in some parts of the state but we will not fall for their gimmicks because that alone is an act of violence.”
Meanwhile, the PDP governorship candidate in the state, Alhaji Mohammed Umar Nasko, has pleaded with his teeming supporters not to retaliate against anybody if they were attacked by members of the opposition parties in the state, adding that there is nothing prayers and peace cannot do.
Nasko said: “My boss, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu’s prayers is that I should surpass his achievements in office, but my own prayer is that if I cannot surpass his achievements, I should not perform less than him.”
Also, the deputy governorship candidate of the party, Alhaji Isah Liman Kantigi, at a campaign rally held at Sabon Wuse in Tafa Local Government Area of the state on Sunday, said: “It is very unfortunate that the opposition party members could be going around defacing bill boards of the PDP candidates in next month’s elections.
“And that alone is an act of violence.”
Kantigi however described the action of the APC as a defeatist approach, saying it is an attempt to cover their defeat, adding: “Whereas wherever we go to canvass support of the electorate in the state, we always talk to them about our programmes and what we have been able to do for the people.
“We have no reason to flout the peace agreement signed by Mr. President and other presidential candidates.
“We have not been attacked physically hence we don’t embark on campaign of violence because we have not been touched anywhere.”