HOTPEN – Borno state governor, Prof. Babagan Umara Zulum has inaugurated Borno State’s Campaign Council for the All Progressives Congress, APC, ahead of the 2023 general elections.
Hotpen gathered that during the inauguration held on Sunday at the multipurpose hall of the Government House in Maiduguri, Zulum reminded the campaign council of his ban against political thuggery and strongly warned that he was vehemently opposed to the use of political thugs at any point, before, during or after any elections.
A statement issued by the governor’s spokesman, Malam Isa Gugsau, said addressing the campaign council which was made up of APC’s critical stakeholders and top government officials, Governor Zulum raised issues surrounding the campaign visit of former vice president Atiku Abubakar to Maiduguri, on November 9, 2022 (about three weeks ago).
“There have been recent disturbing and worrisome political developments in the state. I am specifically referring to the spate of violence and assault meted out to the PDP and its presidential candidate (Atiku Abubakar) when they came here (Maiduguri) for their campaign rally”, Zulum said.
“I want to put it on record that the assault was neither deliberate nor pre-planned. It was a spontaneous outburst by a coterie of some political party miscreants, cutting across all political parties”, he explained.
“Suffice it to point out that what happened was despicable and unwarranted and it strikes at the very essence of democracy, which thrives and matures amidst the plurality of political parties”
“It has been posited time and again that any move against an opposition political party tends to raise the popularity of the opposition in the eyes of the electorate”
“So it is fruitless to even contemplate attacking the opposition. I have absolute confidence in the ability of security agencies investigating the matter to do justice, equity and fairness both to the victims and the culprit”, the governor declared.
Hotpen reports that, Governor Zulum at the council’s inauguration, said his administration had by Allah’s grace, succeeded in fulfilling most of the promises made during the 2019 governorship campaigns.