Kano Residents on Edge as APC Plans Massive Rally

• Heightened anxiety in Kano as APC plans a significant rally in response to an alleged NNPP gathering, raising concerns among residents
• NNPP Chairman denies reports of a planned mass rally, calling on security agencies to preserve peace in the state

Kano residents are experiencing heightened anxiety as the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state gears up for a significant rally, sparking concerns among the populace. The rally is intended as a response to an alleged planned gathering by the ruling New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP).

NNPP Chairman in Kano, Hashim Dungurawa, clarified that there is no truth to reports of his party organizing a mass rally on Saturday. He called on security agencies to ensure the preservation of peace in the state.

APC stakeholders, addressing the media in Abuja, disclosed their intent to hold a solidarity rally for Nasir Yusuf Gawuna, the APC’s candidate in the 2023 gubernatorial election. Gawuna has been declared the actual winner by both the elections petition tribunal and the Appeal Court, which recently nullified Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s victory.

Rabiu Suleiman Bichi, Director-General of the Gawuna/Garo Campaign Organisation, emphasized that while the NNPP allegedly plans a mass protest, the APC will organize a rally on the same day. Bichi cited their commitment to democracy as the reason for holding the rally concurrently.

Responding to concerns about potential violence, Bichi assured that they are law-abiding citizens, focused on maintaining peace. He expressed worries about the recent activities since Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso’s return, suggesting a potential for violence orchestrated by opposition forces.

In a counterstatement, NNPP Chairman Hashim Dungurawa dismissed the allegations, labeling them as products of the APC’s imagination. He affirmed NNPP’s commitment to peace and urged the police and other security agencies to prevent any trouble.

Residents, expressing apprehension, voiced concerns about a possible showdown between supporters of both parties. The recent clash on Wednesday heightened these worries, prompting calls for fairness and intervention from national leaders and traditional authorities to prevent the escalation of violence in the state. The Yoruba community specifically appealed to figures like President Bola Tinubu, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, and traditional leaders in the southwest to intervene and prevent a repeat of past chaos in Kano.