Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal — with just a week left before the 2023 governorship and House of Assembly elections—has become the focal point of a heated dispute between the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state. Both parties accuse each other of colluding with security agencies to undermine the electoral process.
At a press conference, APC chairman Isa Sadiq Acida claimed that the PDP conspired with security forces during the recent presidential and National Assembly elections. He alleged that armed men and youths carrying dangerous weapons were deployed to polling units to attack voters and election agents. Acida further asserted that these individuals were sent out by the PDP‑led administration of Governor Tambuwal and played a significant role in the party’s setbacks. The APC called on INEC to investigate its own ad hoc and permanent staff, whom it believes colluded with the PDP to deliberately delay the delivery of voting materials to APC strongholds and create artificial obstacles to voting. The party also urged security agencies to probe the deliberate destruction of ballot boxes, identify the perpetrators and their sponsors, and ensure they are brought to justice. The APC vowed not to tolerate a repeat of such tactics in the upcoming governorship and State Assembly polls and urged citizens to uphold the principle of one person, one vote.
In response, the PDP held a stakeholder meeting attended by state leaders, including Governor Tambuwal, Deputy Governor Muhammad Manir Dan’iya, the campaign director‑general, former ministers and other officials. The party urged its members to protect their votes from rigging or manipulation. It said the PDP had thoroughly reviewed the irregularities observed during the presidential election and pledged never to allow foul means to usurp power again. PDP leaders criticized the security agencies, especially the Nigerian police, accusing them of being used by the APC’s campaign director‑general, who also serves as Minister of Police Affairs, Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi.
Governor Tambuwal appealed for professionalism from security agencies, warning that any further intimidation in the forthcoming elections would be resisted. “All of you know what happened last Saturday. We were winning overwhelmingly when APC thugs invaded the polling units under the watch of security agencies,” he said. “These thugs rendered many polling units inconclusive.” The PDP affirmed its commitment to operate within the nation’s electoral laws while resolutely opposing rigging. It instructed its agents and officials to remain vigilant at all polling units to prevent a repeat of the previous sabotage and called on President Muhammadu Buhari to caution errant security officials.
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