Kwankwaso prevented from launching presidential campaign as police seal off Eagle Square

FORMER Kano State governor Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso has been prevented from using Eagle Square Abuja to launch his presidential campaign after the police sealed the facility ahead of the planned event today.

Currently the lawmaker representing Kano Central Senatorial District, Senator Kwankwaso, had planned to formally declare his bid to become the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential flagbearer today. According to the Kwankwaso Campaign Organisation, the Federal Capital Territory Administration turned down the request to use the square despite it being earlier approved, giving some flimsy reasons.

Also, according to the Coalition of United Political Parties (Cupp), the federal government has ordered the police to seal Eagles Square and thus prevent the event from taking place. Ikenga Ugochinyere, the Cupp spokesperson called on the Nigerian media, international community and the general public to stand up against this latest culture of intimidation and impunity.

Mr Ugochinyere said: “The attempt to block the venue of the declaration billed to hold at the Eagle Square shall be resisted as the venue was fully paid for and approved for the event. The constant attack on key opposition leaders and the use of state force against opposition aspirants cannot stop us from serving Buhari his well deserved electoral defeat come 2019.”

A Kwankwaso Campaign Organisation spokesman added: “In a letter dated August 27th, 2018 and signed by Usman Mukhtar Raji for the facility manager and received on August 28th, 2018 barely 24 hours to the scheduled declaration, the Abuja International Conference and Eagle Square, managed by the Integrated Facility Management Services has reversed itself in respect of approval granted the organisers of the declaration of Senator Kwankwaso. We at the Kwankwaso Campaign Organisation sees the development as a handiwork of the government in power who will not see anything good in growing our fledgling democracy as no level playing field has been created to allow for viable opposition in the country.

“Even at that, earlier Tuesday morning the Abuja International Conference and Eagle Square, managed by the Integrated Facility Management Services refused us access to inspect the premises demanding us to present a police permit, when actual approval for the use of the Eagle Square has been sought and paid for more than one week to the said declaration. The above development will in no way dampen our morale to go ahead with the declaration or chicken-out as it will only embolden us to legally pursue our fundamental right to freedom of movement and association.”

Senator Kwankwaso will be making his second attempt at getting a party ticket to vie for the highest office in the land. He first contested against President Muhammadu Buhari during the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primaries in Lagos in 2014 and came second and the refusal of the party to allow him challenge again, led to his defection.

Earlier this month, however, Senator Kwankwaso left the APC and defected to the PDP. When the campaign starts, Senator Kwankwaso is expected to face stiff opposition from the PDP presidential ticket from likes of Atiku Abubakar, Bukola Saraki, Ibrahim Shekarau, Sule Lamido, Ahmed Makarfi, Attahiru Bafarawa, Aminu Tambuwal and Kabiru Taminu.