From Maiharaji Altine
A Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara state Dr Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi has called on the security agents and the Federal government to save him from being assassinated for his comments on banditry.
Addressing journalists in his resident in Gusau town today Saturday night, Shinkafi said some disgruntled politicians and bandits were trying to eliminate him for his comments on the failure of the security personnel to arrest Bello Turji who has been terrorizing the people of the state.
Recall that, Shinkafi had last week addressed a press conference in Gusau town where he described Turji’s videos as a slap to the security personnel in the country.
Shinkafi stressed that, some hired assassins had wanted to kill him in a mosque last Friday when he was attending a wedding ceremony of the daughters of his political associate in Gusau.
Shinkafi said, some armed political thugs who were crying dangerous weapons attacked him in the mosque with the aim of taking away his life if not for the intervention of the security personnel that his political associates.
He said, “I was in a mosque last Friday to attend the wedding ceremony of daughters of my political associate when suddenly some boys carrying dangerous weapons approached me and began to call me all sorts of names”.
“They were shouting to me and trying to beat the hell out of me if not for the quick intervention of the security agents and my good friends”.
Shinkafi expressed surprised that all the alleged hired assassins were card carrying members of his party the APC.
“What surprised me is that, I recognized all those who were crying dangerous weapons during the attempted murder”.
“I am pretty sure that, they were in a mission because I said that, the security agents have woefully failed to arrest the notorious bandits’ leader Bello Turji who has been threatening the people of the state”.
“I also made mention that, we are not going to allow anybody to hijack our party (APC) in the next 2027 general elections”.
“That is why some people within the APC are not happy with me and are trying to eliminate him by all means”.
Let me be categorically clear to everybody that I am not a boy to any of the politicians in Zamfara state and I will continue to exercise my constitutional rights to fight the injustice as long as I remain alive”.
Shinkafi stressed that he would not allow what happened to APC in 2019 and 2023 to be repeated in Zamfara state in the next 2027 general elections as a result of imposition of candidates.
He also stated that, he would continue to speak on the issue of insecurity no matter who would be offended.
“You are all living witnesses to the fact that, the APC had failed to capture the state in 2019 and 2023 general elections as a result of imposition of candidates”.
“This mistake will never repeat itself in the APC again as long as I remain a card carrying member of the party”.
He called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and all other APC Stakeholders in the country to intervene if they really want the party to prosper in the next 2027 general elections.
He also advised the President to deploy more security personnel to the state to tackle the issue of insecurity before the next general elections.
“Mr President must get rid of Turji and his accomplish in our dear state in particular and the north in general if he wants to be reelected for the second term”. Concluded Shinkafi.
However, the state chapter of the APC has condemned the attack on Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi and vowed to take drastic action against the party members who were said to have been responsible for the attack.
In a statement, the spokesperson of the party Yusuf Idris said “The state chapter of the APC has totally condemned yesterday’s (Friday) attack and embarrassment meted against one of its chieftains, Hon. Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi when he attended the wedding fatiha of Alhaji Siddi Daki Takwas’ children, which held at Rabi’a Jum’at Mosque, Gusau”.
“The party noticed with shock how the horrific incident happened as some youths were joined by some irate youth to display such bad manner”.
“This is uncommon of our otherwise well behaved party youngsters who may have had some grievances against any member and forgot that the APC has well coordinated channels of addressing all forms of grievances which should have been taken by the APC youth”.
“As a responsible party, therefore, we want to reassure all our loyal members, big or small, especially the leaders that we shall always do whatever necessary to protect them”.
“Under our current reconciliation initiative, the party stresses against such deviance even against opposition political party members”.
“The youth are therefore urged to henceforth refrain from such acts and to present their grudges against any member through the right channel”.
“The party will take all the necessary steps to ensure perpetrators of such high level of indiscipline are arrested and prosecuted according to the law”.
APC will ensure justice is done to every member and to enjoy the privileges as provided by the nation’s constitution”.
