APC, PDP clash over alleged plans to remove Sultan

The All Progressives Congress in Sokoto State has denied plans to remove the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, after winning the governorship election in the state.

The party condemned the action of some youths who demonstrated against the alleged plans, saying the demonstration was sponsored to tarnish the image of the party.

Some youths had earlier on Monday embarked on a demonstration in Sokoto. The march terminated at the Sultan’s palace.

Explaining their mission to the palace, one of the leaders of the group, Murtala Abdulrahman, said, “We are at the palace to alert the Sultan to the evil plot by the APC to remove him if they win the governorship election.

“They alleged that the Sultan has not been supporting the APC. They are saying, ‘new government, new Sultan.’ We will not allow them to rubbish our traditional ruler. We shall put them to shame.”

But addressing journalists at the party’s secretariat, the state chairman of the APC, Isa Acida, accused the  chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state, Alhaji Ibrahim Milgoma, of making statements capable of throwing the state into turmoil.

He accused the leadership of the PDP of inciting the youths to violence ahead of Saturday’s governorship election in the state.

Acida said Milgoma and the Zonal Vice-Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Muhammadu Dangwaggo, alongside other party leaders in the state, made the inciting statements during a rally organised by PDP youths at Government House on Saturday.

He called on the security agencies to take measures to protect the people.

But, the PDP challenged the opposition to come out clean on who breached the Peace Accord signed prior to the elections.

The PDP secretary in the state, Kabiru Aliyu, said, “The PDP is not a violent party and we do not believe in violence. Governor Tambuwal has shown a good example of a peaceful leader and we are duly following him.

“Our message to our supporters was that they should resist vote rigging without violence.”