Why Tinubu’s presidential rally was stopped in Niger

The Niger State Governor, Abubakar Sani Bello, rallied security agencies on Tuesday to stop the presidential campaign rally that was called by Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Niger North.

Bello has been having running battles with some stakeholders of the party in the state led by Senator Abdullahi and has reportedly been sidelined by the APC presidential campaign council.

It has also been reported that the APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, is also relying on Senator Abdullahi and other top party members in the state to undertake mobilisation for his election.

The Pro-Tinubu group is largely being organised by National Assembly members with Sabi and his colleagues in the House of Representatives being the leaders.

In view of the frosty relationship, the Federal lawmakers were reported to have agreed to champion the promotion of the APC presidential campaign in the state.

This led to the call for a rally on Tuesday, which was expected to be one in a series of rallies that will ensure Tinubu wins the state.

The botched rally which was called by the Senator and his colleagues in the lower house was billed to be held at the New- Bussa Township Stadium, Borgu.

It was expected to be attended by 774 Support Groups, under the leadership of the senator tagged ‘Grand Lockdown Rally’.

Abdullahi said the rally was aimed at garnering support for Tinubu and his running mate, Kashim Shettima, as well as the governorship candidate, Umar Mohammed Bago and his running mate Yakubu Garba.

Sabi, who is also the Deputy Whip of the Senate, and National Coordinator of Project 774 for Tinubu/Shettima, 2023, had through his Special Assistant (Operations), Mohammed Garba Danladi in a letter dated January 27 and addressed to the state party Chairman, Haliru Zakari Jikantoro notified the party of the planned rally.

The letter, also stated that the State Working Committee of the party was invited to the rally