The People’s Democratic Party in Sokoto State condemns in the strongest terms, the arrest of Shafi’u Umar Tureta, a Special Assistant to Senator Aminu Waziri Tambuwal on Media by operatives of the Police earlier today, Sunday, August 25, 2024.
In a statement Signed by Hassan Sahabi Sanyinnawal, PDP Publicity Secretary Sokoto State revealed that
Our Party understands that Tureta was arrested on the orders of the Sokoto State Governor, Ahmed Aliyu for sharing a viral video clip of the Governor struggling to make a statement in English Language and another equally nationally well-circulated clip of cash spray at the Governor’s wife’s birthday party.
We first of all, wish to draw the attention of the Governor to the fact that the visuals in question must have been recorded by camera men attached to his own office or his family and initially leaked to the public by the same personnel.
It is also not a crime under Nigerian law to make public, videos of the Governor’s public engagements or of events attended by his family, however embarrassing they may be. It is therefore, his task or that of his aides to ensure that such materials do not get to the public arena.
The PDP wishes to caution the Sokoto State Government of its fast worsening human rights record, occasioned by its notoriety for harassment and assault on dissenting opinion. We hereby, counsel Ahmed Aliyu to turn his energy towards improving on the dismal performance of his regime, rather than the desperate struggle to stifle freedom of expression in the state.
Our party supporters and media personnel are not responsible for the Governor’s personal and administrative deficits and short comings. We advise therefore, that he should endeavor to deal with his failures in constructive and proactive ways, instead of visiting his frustration for his shortcomings on innocent citizens.
The PDP demands the immediate, unconditional release of Shafi’u Umar Tureta and a final stop to the brutality meted by the Sokoto State Government on citizens for simply exercising their constitutional right to criticizing bad governance and unbecoming conduct by those in power in the state.
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