A former governor of Kaduna State and Chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, on Thursday, raised the alarm over alleged plot by the state government to arrest and detain 80 members of the opposition party until after the March 18, 2023 governorship and House of Assembly elections.
Makarfi said the arrest plot was aimed at stopping the PDP members from participating in the forthcoming governorship and State House of Assembly elections, especially after the arrest of three top PDP members in the state by security operatives over alleged inciting statements.
Makarfi, who is also a former chairman of the PDP National Caretaker Committee, in his reaction to the arrest of the Director of Media and Publicity, Kaduna state PDP Campaign Council, Saidu Adamu, and two other PDP officials, alleged that PDP is in possession of the list of those penciled down for arrest before the governorship and House of Assembly elections, rescheduled for March, 18, 2023.
The former governor said, “Our attention has been drawn to a list of our field officers, drawn up by the government to be arrested and detained until after the elections. This has grievous implications.
“Those penciled down for arrest were drawn from Kudan, Sanga, Igabi, Lere, Kachia, Jaba and Kaduna North Local Government Areas of the state which are believed to be PDP strongholds.
“Honourable Adamu is still in detention and we do not know the alleged offences he is being detained for and he has also not been charged to court, it is a very sad development.”
Adamu, who is a former Commissioner for Information in the state and two other PDP officials were arrested at Kabala Costain Ward by security operatives and detained for allegedly making comments on the Muslim-Muslim ticket of the APC government.