The Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Walid Jibrin, has alleged a threat to his life over the 2023 presidency.
He told journalists yesterday in Kaduna that he received calls from some people threatening his life for not saying that the PDP’s presidential ticket would be zoned to the North-east when he addressed the media last week.
He said he had petitioned the Inspector General of Police (IG) over the issue.
Accord to him “I have received calls from some people threatening my life over my coming out not to mention that the presidency of this country be zoned to the North-east. They were saying that I am a traitor that I should have come out to say that it is only Atiku Abubakar because I said that Atiku was already overthrown by the Supreme Court. They said for that I should say Atiku is the man that I want.”
He said there was no how he could single-handedly declare anyone as a presidential candidate of the party because it was the duty of stakeholders to select a candidate.
The BOT Chairman explained: “I am a leader; I have to make a lot of consultations with the National Working Committee (NWC), our governors; then the NEC had to take decision and they should not forget that the party has a constitution and a guideline, which says there must be primary for whoever wants to contest.
“We have not even discussed about zoning.
“About three people went to Wadata Plaza (the party’s secretariat in Abuja) and demanded to see Munir Yerima.
“ When they were there, Yerima rang me saying where am I and I said I was in Kaduna, then he said some people wanted to talk to me and I said let me talk to them on phone. He said they were intermediaries between me and some party people.
“They said I have gone astray and if I don’t recant they would arrange bandits to deal with me wherever I go.
“So, I told the man to go and do whatever he wants to do that I am equal to the task. Then I realise it is only a demonstration but they may be planning to assassinate me.
“I have written to the Director-General of the DSS (Department of State Services) and the IG to ensure that the matter is seriously handled as people can’t stand on their own.
“I am an elder statesman, in the party and in Northern Nigeria. I am a Fulani man, who have tried to stop the threats of militant Fulani in my local government in my state.
“I am a very religious person, who cannot even kill a rat or even an ant, yet people are trying to harass me, to assassinate me. I want the police to give me protection and stop this harassment.”