A fresh political storm erupted in Kaduna State on Saturday as the Peoples Democratic Party accused the state government of masterminding the abduction of its House of Representatives candidate for the Chikun/Kajuru Federal Constituency bye-election, Esther Dawaki, along with 25 other members of the party.
The PDP governorship candidate in the 2023 elections in the state, Isa Ashiru, raised the alarm in a post on his X (formerly Twitter) handle.
But the Kaduna State Government dismissed the allegations as baseless and mischievous, insisting it had no hand in the actions of federal security agencies.
 Ashiru alleged that security agencies were allegedly acting on the orders of Governor Uba Sani to intimidate and silence PDP voices.
“Kaduna PDP condemns the abduction of our Chikun/Kajuru HoR candidate, Princess Esther Ashivelli Dawaki, and 25 others by security forces…. This is a brazen assault on democracy. We demand their immediate and unconditional release!” posted.
He alleged that heavily armed operatives of Operation Fushin Kada stormed City Den Hotel in Malali, Kaduna metropolis, in search of the party’s campaign chairman.
The PDP leaders said when the security agents failed to locate him, they allegedly whisked away Dawaki and 25 members of the party, who were with her at the time.
He said, “This madness must stop. APC cannot silence the will of the people,” Ashiru fumed, adding that the clampdown was proof that the ruling All Progressives Congress feared electoral defeat.
“The abduction of our candidate and 25 PDP leaders is proof APC fears defeat in the bye-election—the last kick of a dying horse. We call on Nigerians, civil society and the President to act. Kaduna belongs to the people, not APC’s dictatorship.”
His comments immediately sparked outrage among party loyalists, who described the arrests as a dangerous escalation of political intimidation in the state.
Speaking with Sunday PUNCH, the Commissioner-designate for Information, Ahmed Maiyaki, said neither Sani nor the state government controlled the security agencies accused of carrying out the arrests.
“The government is not the security agents. The DSS and the police are segments of the Federal Government. They are not under the control of the state,” Maiyaki stated.
Describing the PDP’s claims as politically motivated, he said, “Nobody made any abduction. It is not our purview to respond to arrests by the DSS or the police. They are simply carrying out their constitutional responsibility under the law.”
The commissioner-designate argued that the accusations reflected a refusal by the opposition to take responsibility.
“In as much as we are not holding brief for these agencies, we are also not responsible for whatever happens. We are a law-abiding government, and these kinds of remarks only show someone who is not remorseful,” he maintained.
