Outcry as police retrieve Buhari’s campaign vehicles from APC members in Kano State

The Police in Kano State yesterday retrieved President Muhammadu Buhari’s campaign vehicles from party members.

About 25 vehicles were purchased by former Chairman, House Committee on Appropriation, representing Kiru/Bebeji Federal Constituency of Kano, Abdulmumini Jibrin and distributed to party loyalists before the presidential election.

The Guardian learnt that the gesture was part of Jubrin’s contributions to Buhari’s presidential campaign and All Progressives Congress (APC) victory in Kano.

An APC member from Kiru town, Aminu Abubakar, said the lawmaker drafted the police to recover the cars freely given out loyal APC members during the election as gifts to motivate them to campaign for Buhari and Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.

Abubakar, therefore, expressed dismay that Jubrin could stoop so derogatory enough to order the police to withdraw the vehicles from members who had worked tirelessly to ensure the victory of APC in Kano.

He said: “I am surprised such a thing could happen. We have many political office holders, senators and members of assembly who gave out vehicles for use during campaigns.

“Go and find out, the governor distributed vehicles, senators distributed vehicles and at the point of collection, you know this is your car and that is part of the reason many of them put in even their lives to campaign. What surprised me more was the involvement of police.”

Another APC stalwart in Kano, who claimed anonymity, said besides the retrieval of the campaign vehicles, the Kiru/Bebeji representative ordered the withdrawal of cars and monies given to party chieftains in his constituency.

“We now understand that the lawmaker is not sincere with party members. Apart from the campaign vehicles that he recovered, he also collected money and cars he gave to some party leaders in the constituency.”

Meanwhile, when contacted on the development, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Kano State Police Command, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Abdullahi Haruna, did not deny the involvement of the police.

He, however, sought time to enable him investigate the matter before response.

He did not respond as at the time of filing in this report.

But state Secretary of APC, Ibrahim Zakari Sarina, who confirmed the development, said that Jubrin’s action took the part unawares, insisting that such attitude was against all known norms of the party.

He posited that the state secretariat had directed the Kiru and Bebeji Local Council offices to report the matter officially for proper action.

However, effort to speak with Jubrin on the matter was not successful as the lawmaker did not pick his calls and declined response to text message.