Contrary to the claim by the Kano State government suggesting that the All Progressives Congress (APC) sponsored the violent protests in the State recently, the party has accused the state governor, Abba Yusuf, of funding the protest to tarnish the image of President Bola Tinubu-led administration.
APC national chairman, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, made the allegation in Abuja on Thursday.
A statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the APC National Chairman, Edwin Olofu, said credible intelligence reports revealed that the protest, which tragically turned bloody, was directly sponsored by Governor Yusuf-led administration in Kano State.
“It is alarming that a sitting governor would incite such chaos and violence within his state, putting the lives and properties of innocent citizens at risk.
“We strongly condemn this reckless and irresponsible behaviour, which is an attempt to destabilize Kano, undermine the peace and security of the region, more importantly to tarnish the good image of our President.
“We demand that the Federal Government, through relevant security agencies, immediately launches a thorough investigation into the Kano State Government’s involvement in this unfortunate incident.
“The sponsors of this violence must be brought to justice to ensure that this does not set a dangerous precedent for other states.”
“Furthermore, we find the allegations that protesters looted and absconded with ‘sensitive documents’ relating to the ongoing witch-hunting under the guise of the corruption trial of former Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje as baseless and comical.
“It is laughable that governance has been reduced to a huge joke in Kano state that the state government will condescend low to suggesting that demonstrators broke into a court and carefully selected documents relating to the trial of the APC National Chairman, handpicked them and take them away in this digital age, no discerning mind will buy into this pedestrian propaganda.
“What happened to the documents with the government lawyers? The state government is bereft of ideas on how to run the affairs of the state and has always resorted to churning out myriads of corruption allegations against the former governor of the state Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and his family who served the state diligently.
“This claim is nothing more than a desperate attempt by Governor Yusuf’s administration to divert attention from their culpability in the violence that erupted in the state.
“The insinuation that such critical documents could be carted away during a protest is not only far-fetched but also a clear indication of the state’s growing incompetence in handling both security and legal matters.
“It is a known fact that the day before the beginning of the protest Governor Yusuf was grandstanding and telling people that he would join them if they wished to protest but unfortunately for him the people hired by the state government to execute the protest against the APC government went haywire against their initial plan.
“After leading them on, it’s now clear to all that his government funded the violent protest that occurred in Kano.
“Governor Yusuf should understand that the words and actions of leaders carry weight and have dire consequences.
“We stand with the people of Kano and call on all well-meaning citizens to remain calm and law-abiding while the authorities conduct their investigations. The APC remains committed to promoting peace, justice, and good governance across the nation,” the statement read.
