ANPP ALERTS POLICE TO VIOLENCE IN BORNO

The All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) in Borno State has alerted the police and other security agencies in the state of the purported activities of some politicians to cause violence during tomorrow's governorship and House of Assembly elections.

It said the politicians were planning to subvert the will of the people, a development which is believed could trigger off violent reactions from the people.

Addressing newsmen yesterday evening, state Chairman of the party, Mala Othman claimed that some chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were ' neck deep' in a plan to rig tomorrow's election, calling on security agencies in the state to hold the politicians responsible, should there be breakdown of law and order.

Othman also condemned what he called persistent use of violence by some political parties in desperation for political power. He said the ANPP believed nothing ever justified the use of violence against political opponents, adding that 'nobody's quest for power is worth shedding the blood of innocent people.'

He challenged the PDP to stop distancing itself from the pro-Jonathan campaigns to earn public support while at the same time romancing with President Jonathan in private.

Also commenting on the actions of the security personnel in the state, the chairman said the ANPP understood and appreciated the need for the security agencies to evolve strategies that would cope with the current security challenges in the state but said it frowned and strongly condemned the negative attitude of some of the security personnel. He said their attitude often caused untold hardship to innocent and law-abiding members of the public.

He said the ANPP would not deny the fact that the state governor is the Chief Security Officer in the state and as such responsible for all security issues, he nonetheless said the party would not fold its arms and allow the citizens of the state go through hardship in the cause of their daily businesses. Reacting, the PDP State chairman, Baba Basharu described the allegation as baseless. According to him, 'to the best of my knowledge, there is nothing like that. We are doing our politics without bitterness but they have the right to say anything.' He said the PDP bus was burnt lastweekend but the party refused to retaliate, boasting 'we're sensing victory.'