Police stop PDP rally in Jigawa, allegedly teargas members

Police in Jigawa State have teargassed members of the Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP, in Gumel Local Government Area for allegedly
holding a campaign without police approval.

The Jigawa state chapter of the Peoples Democratic party had gathered
in Gumel Local Government to flag off zonal campaign for the 2019
general election.

Speaking to newsmen, the Jigawa North West vice chairman and former
Commissioner for Information, Alhaji Babandi Ibrahim Gumel said the
party had already written to the commissioner of police, seeking
permission 48 hrs before the campaign, which he granted formally.

"It was today in the morning that the commissioner of police called
our chairman committee on security for the 2019 election campa,ign
notifying him that we have to cancel our rally because he realized
that it was a market.

"And for over 20 years, it has been our tradition to hold a rally on
the same day and in history, we have never recorded any act of
violence.

"Over 150,000 members have been mobilized for the rally from the state
and visitors from outside have arrived the state since, so there is no
way you can stop them because they have already started coming.

"It's quite unfortunate when we came to the venue and police sealed
the area and teargas our members," he said.

He, therefore, accused APC of masterminding the issue, threatened to
drag the party and state commissioner of police to court.

Contacting the Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Abdu Jinjiri, he
told DAILY POST that he was not briefed on the issue, but promised to
get to the press later.