By Abdallah el-Kurebe
Sokoto—Democratic Peoples Party, DPP, in Sokoto State has alleged that Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, was planning to cause chaos if the ruling on the withdrawal of an interlocutory civil pre-election appeal filed by DPP governorship candidate in the 2007 election, Alhaji Maigari Dingyadi, which is expected to be delivered by the Supreme Court in Abuja tomorrow was not in PDP’s favour.

The allegation was contained in a press statement by the DPP Youth Leader, Alhaji Murtala Dan Iya and made available to Vanguard.

According to the statement, “after rigorous investigation, deliberations and review of the current political situation in our dear state, the Youth Wing of Democratic Peoples Party, DPP, Sokoto State Chapter, has uncovered a plot by Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state to raise tension and create chaos through harassment, intimidation and campaign of calumny against the opposition.

“This is with a view to scoring a cheap goal of stopping the Supreme Court from delivering its ruling on the withdrawal of an interlocutory civil pre- election appeal by DPP gubernatorial candidate, Alhaji Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi, Katukan Sokoto, scheduled to take place on Friday, 26th November, 2010.”

DPP further alleged that old tyres were placed at strategic places, especially in the major street of the town and covered with posters of aspirants with an intention of setting them ablaze if the ruling was not favourable to the PDP.

Reacting to the allegation through a telephone conversation, Commissioner of
Police, Alhaji Umar Abubakar Manko told *Vanguard *that the allegation was
false.

“The allegation is totally untrue. If you go round Sokoto, you will find out that even Vulcanisers who keep used tyres have been told by this Command to surrender them for burning,” Manko said adding, “We have not only commanded this but have also kept our eyes on any erring vulcaniser.”

He warned that although the Command had not received any report in thatline, the Police was ready to deal decisively with person or group of persons that tries to break the peace.

Manko said that the Command had mobilized the officers and men towards
surveillance and intelligence gathering. “As I am talking to you, our officers and men have been put on alert and surveillance and intelligence gathering has been enhance even the time—table is unrolled,” he said.

On whether the PDP was sponsoring her youth wing to cause chaos in the event
that the party loses in the ruling to be delivered by the Supreme Court, PDP
State Secretary, Mallam Aminu Bello Sokoto told *Vanguard* that the PDP and
the state government have always preached peace and that it was unthinkable
of them to sponsor any act of breach of peace.

“This allegation is mischief. The DPP is known to have sponsored that particular act of criminality when it had the government. We have promoted peace. We have mopped off most of the criminal youths known as ‘Area Boys’ from the street,” Sokoto said adding, “Governor Wamakko has always called against chaos and that is the position of the party.”

He said that “on the contrary, they are using their youth to do all acts that could lead to breach of peace and in turn, make the public to believe that PDP was behind it.”