Kaduna PDP asks DSS to release its campaign director

The Kaduna state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called for the immediate and unconditional release of Ben Bako, director, media and publicity of its campaign organisation.

Bako was arrested on Saturday by the Department of State Services (DSS) for allegedly making inciting comments at a PDP rally in Kafancha, earlier in the week.

Reacting to Bako’s arrest, Danjuma Sarki, deputy director-general of the party’s campaign organisation in Kaduna, accused the DSS of partisanship.

He said Bako had dutifully honoured the invitation of the DSS but was kept incommunicado for several hours before he was whisked to Abuja.

Sarki also alleged that the arrest was masterminded by Nasir el-Rufai, governor of the state.

The PDP leaders being targeted for arrest, according to him, Ahmed Makarfi, former chairman, PDP national caretaker committee, Mukhtar Yero,ex-governor of the state, Felix Hyat, Kaduna state chairman of the PDP, Audi Yaro Makama, former state chairman of the party.

“We are very much aware that long before now, the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) in Kaduna State, under the leadership of Governor Nasir el-Rufai, has penned down a long list of influential PDP members in the state for intimidation, arrest and detention over spurious charges few days to the general elections” Sarki said.

“But, unknown to governor el-Rufai and the DSS, the more he arrests us, the stronger the PDP gets. It is too late to reverse the determination of the traumatised people of Kaduna state.

“The DSS has become compromised and partisan in Kaduna state and we say NO to such development.

“We believe that Kaduna State Director of the DSS, Ahmadu Idris will not be neutral in the 2019 general elections and we call for his immediate redeployment.

“The world today is still outraged by threats of governor Nasir el-Rufai to International Election Observers, when he vowed that should any of them intervene contrary to the designs and expectation of the APC during and after elections, they would return home in body bags.

“The PDP in Kaduna state will not be drawn into any violent conflict no matter the provocation.

“Let us reiterate for the records; the PDP in Kaduna state is determined and totally committed to violent-free polls.”