By Aondowase Agabi
The Labour Party governorship candidate in the forth coming governorship elections in Borno State, Capt. Ibrahim Mshelia has warned the incumbent governor Prof. Babagana Zulum against inciting violence in his campaigns.
Prof. Zulum is the candidate for the All Progressives Congress (APC) and has been flagged for inciting violence during one his campaign.
Capt. Mshelia at a press briefing on Monday at the Nigerian Union of Journalists office in Abuja said that Gov. Zulum should desist from inciting the Borno citizens against each other because of politics.
The Labour candidate said it is for this types of malfeasance that he is in the race to cleanse the state.
“By way of summary, I am in this race because I seek to introduce good and inclusive governance in Borno State. I am in this race because it is my desire to elevate the quality of lives of Borno citizens and also to develop the human resources of the state. I also intend to make the state more peaceful, progressive and sustainable” he said.
Speaking to the alleged threats by Zulum.he said: “During his campaign in Biu, Southern Borno, which happens to be my zone, the governor was publicly inciting the citizens to take to violence should the APC candidates lose at the polls.”
Prof. Zulum who spoke in Hausa Language said at the campaign that: “during the forthcoming elections, we are voting for governorship. Stand up and make sure our votes are high. Let’s also have all the nine seats in the State House of Assembly in Southern Borno. I don’t want anyone of them to lose. I am the governor; I have apologized to everyone in this zone. But I will like to tell you something, only God gives power. I don’t have the capability to give power. But I swear, in my capacity, I won’t leave anyone that will insult the traditional leaders to get into the House of Assembly. God gives power but if God gives them power, “Biri Mini, Kare Jini”. Reminiscent of the “dog and barboon will be Soaked in blood fame.
“I strongly condemn this statement as electoral violence can breed unimaginable consequences and a governor should not be seen to promote election violence.
“I am peace loving and I have been running my campaigns based on real issues and not issuing threats to opposition parties like the governor has done.
“The clandestine agenda of some agents of political instability have perfected plans to turn the forth coming elections to a battle field and are just waiting to unleash violence. They think, this is the only way to railroad themselves into victory. They must be stopped.
“We have gathered on good authority that, having received the shock of their lives in the last elections wherein the people expressed their discontent with the lingering shenanigans in governance, through their votes, those who are in government in Borno State, have chosen bloodletting as option to retain power, against the collective resolve of the people for a positive change; which the Labour Party and my candidature represents.
“Revered members of the fourth estate, I am shocked that desperation could reach a killer level of a seating governor, resolving to step on our people’s blood to attain selfish re-election, as will be seen in the video clips I will share you.
“And it brings us to the question of whose interests are our current political leaders really protecting? I found it impossible to reason that a political office holder, with mandate.to serve the people, would contemplate murder as an option to serve.
“However, this is the sad situation we found ourselves in Borno State. The seating governor is hell bent on retaining power at all cost and he is not hiding his preparedness to kill maim and destroy any hindrance on his way.
“As law abiding citizens, we have decided not to lock horns with the rejected and the desperate but rather walk the path of peace to assured victory.
“We therefore call the attention of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Mohammadu Buhari, and all the relevant security tangencies to ensure the full protection of lives and property in the coming elections by ensuring that there is a credible election, devoid of manipulations and violence.
