PDP Condemns Arrest Of Ganduje’s Aide Who Criticised Buhari Over Poor Performance

Opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on Saturday, condemned the arrest of Salihu Tanko Yakasai, by the Department of State Services, DSS.

The party in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, demanded the immediate release of the Yakasai who was whisked away by security operatives on Friday in Kano hours after he criticised the All Progressives Congress and the regime of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), over the growing insecurity in the country.

PDP also flayed Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, for sacking Yakasai who tweeted on Friday that the Buhari-regime should secure Nigerians or resign.

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Until his sacking on Saturday, Yakasai, son of elder statesman, Tanko Yakasai, was Ganduje’s Special Adviser on Media.

In its statement, PDP said the arrest and detention of Yakasai was a sad reminder of the disappearance of a popular critic of the Buhari regime, Abubakar Idris, well known as Abu Hanifa Dadiyata, who has not been seen since August 2019.

The statement partly read, “The party describes the reported arrest of Salihu by security operatives as well as his alleged detention in a secret facility, just after his criticism against the Buhari administration’s failures in the fight against banditry in our country, as completely unacceptable.

“Salihu Yakasai’s ordeal is a sad reminder of the sudden disappearance of another known critic of the Buhari administration, Abubakar Idris, popularly known as Abu Hanifa Dadiyata, since August 2019.

“The PDP reminds agents of the APC-led administration that Nigeria is a democratic nation and that the rights of citizens, including their freedom of expression, within the ambit of the law, are firmly guaranteed in the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and as such, must be respected.”

“The PDP also condemns the decision of the Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Umar Ganduje, in summarily relieving Salihu Yakasai of his appointment as his Special Adviser on media, on the ground that his patriotic demand for a decisive action to end terrorism, was contrary to the stand of the APC government.

“The action of Governor Ganduje has again heightened apprehensions on the alleged connections between APC leaders and the bandits pillaging our nation.

“In this regard, the PDP demands that Governor Ganduje comes clean on the matter,” the party added.