Katsina PDP Chieftain docked over campaign rules

By Bashir Bello

KATSINA—A Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, chieftain, Alhaji Umar Tsauri, was, yesterday, arraigned before a chief magistrate court 1 sitting in Katsina State.

Tsauri is facing a two-count charge of nuisance— by distributing food to the needy and campaigning on a horse back which contradicts Section 199 of the Penal Code.

Trial judge, Chief Magistrate Nuradeen Ladan adjourned the case to July 4, after granting the accused N500,000 bail with two sureties required to produce a letter from their District Heads.

Earlier, the state’s Commissioner of Police, Usman Abdullahi, said Tsauri was arrested for breach of law and order in place ahead of the Mashi/Dutsi federal constituency by-election that took place on May 20.

Abdullahi told newsmen that Tsauri flouted the agreement entered between the political parties and stakeholders ahead of the election.

Shortly after he was granted bail, Tsauri told newsmen: “When I was told to stop the distribution of the food, I stopped it. Police also went ahead to seize the food items and took them to the station.

“On the issue of the Durbar, traditionally, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC’s timetables for campaign, it was not specified whether to do campaign on foot, motorcycle, car or aeroplane.

“So when the Commissioner made an illusion to a Durbar, which was already planned, we wrote officially, which was signed by the Chairman seeking to inform the police of our grand closing rally in Dutsi on Thursday, May 18 by 4p.m.

“It was assumed that the letter covered whatever concern the Commissioner of Police had.”

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