The All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Zamfara State have exchanged accusations following the arrest of a social media influencer, Bashir Isah Gusau.
The APC accused Governor Dauda Lawal of using security personnel attached to the Government House to harass and intimidate opposition members.
In a statement, the party’s spokesperson, Alhaji Yusuf Idris, claimed the governor had repeatedly used security operatives to target APC members in an effort to weaken the party ahead of the 2027 elections.
Idris said the party was disturbed by the arrest of Gusau, an APC supporter also known as “Ambassador,” who was taken on Wednesday night.
He said, “The Zamfara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is appalled by last night’s illegal arrest of one of its members, Bashir Isah Gusau by security personnel attached to governor Dauda Lawal.”
According to him, “He was picked by four persons who identified themselves as DSS personnel attached to the Government House, who drove a covered plate number jeep from the Government House.”
Idris added that Gusau was arrested at a football viewing centre in the Sabon Gari area of Gusau around 10 pm.
He alleged that when people tried to intervene, “the security men fired live bullet shots to bully and scare people who scampered away for their lives as the personnel then threw the victim into their vehicle and sped off to an unknown destination.”
Idris said checks at police stations in Gusau showed that Gusau was not in police custody and that his phone lines had been switched off.
He said, “We strongly assume he has been castrated in the Government House.”
The APC spokesperson described the incident as an abuse of power and warned that the party would not remain silent.
He said, “We are calling on the Inspector General of Police and the Director General, Department of State Service to call their attached government house personnel to order.”
He added that lawyers had been mobilised and the party would challenge any unjust action in court, while urging members to remain calm.
Responding, the spokesperson of the Zamfara PDP, Alhaji Haliru Andi, dismissed the APC claims as false.
He said there was “no iota of truth” in the allegations and insisted that Governor Lawal had not victimised opposition members since assuming office in 2023.
Andi described the claims as “baseless, untrue and unfounded.”
He said, “The APC members are only trying to smear the good image of Governor Dauda Lawal because they have nothing to say about his leadership qualities.”
According to him, “He has no hand in the alleged arrest of Bashir Isa Gusau as speculated by the opposition APC and has never ordered the arrest of any person because of political differences.”
Andi added that the governor sees himself as a leader for all residents, saying, “He considers himself as the governor of the state and not the PDP governor, as such, he treats everyone equally irrespective of political inclination.”
He said the focus of the Lawal administration has been development.
He also noted, “The people of Zamfara State can bear me witness that since the governor assumed office in 2023, he has been busy trying to develop the state.”
Andi said the opposition was only raising allegations because it was afraid of the governor’s achievements.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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