The Zamfara State guber candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dr. Ahmad Hashim has condemned outrightly the attack by political thugs on Zamfara State NUJ secretariat.
Hashim lamented that the attack and threats to lives of working journalists in the State is condemnable, saying that the State is gradually moving back to the inglorious dark age.
In an exclusive interview with DAILY POST at the party’s secretariat in Gusau, the State capital, Hashim noted that indications have proved that the State government has hands in the dastard acts.
“If working journalists are in chain, it means that the whole society is also in chain. Any attempt to threaten the lives of working journalists is also an attempt to threaten democracy”, he lamented.
According to him, the whole 18 registered political parties in the State recently came together and signed peace accord, stressing that it is unfortunate that some parties are sabotaging the signed peace accord.
He lamented that what is presently happening in the State is a red signal that the 2023 general elections will not be free, fair, credible and accepted.
Hashim noted that if journalists are being threatened by thugs, then the opposition parties are not saved.
“If these can be happening now that campaigns have not been deeply rooted, how will it be when campaigns will start fully,” he said.
According to him, even the foreign and local observers would equally be intimidated.
Hashim pointed out that INEC has already lifted ban on campaign, yet the State government insisted that campaigns still remain banned in the State, saying that there must be a motive behind the ban.
He said that the State commissioner of police should be held responsible to explain why the police operatives sent to the Zamfara State NUJ secretariat could not arrest the thugs that attacked the secretariat for thorough investigations.
“That means that the police operatives are not professionals in the field. The commissioner should be made to answer these questions.
“Recently, the supporters of the ruling APC and that of the opposition PDP clashed in Gusau, the State capital resulting to the death of one person while many sustained various degrees of injuries,” he lamented.
Hashim urged the security agencies in the State to as matter of urgency fish out the thugs that attacked Zamfara NUJ secretariat and bring them to justice, stressing that such kangaroo political living is not acceptable in democracy.
“Journalists otherwise referred to as the watch dogs of the society and members of the fourth estate of the realm should be allowed to go about their legitimate endeavours without any form of harassment,” he said.
