The group also condemned the alleged killing of two protesters in Lagos State by some operatives of the Nigeria Police Force.
The Convergence for A Working People's Political Alternative (COPA), a coalition of left-leaning revolutionary and radical political parties as well as pro-working people's organisations has berated the wife of the Director-General of Department of State Services (DSS), Yusuf Bichi over alleged attack on the governorship candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) in Kano State, Abba Yusuf.
The group also condemned the alleged killing of two protesters in Lagos State by some operatives of the Nigeria Police Force.
Aisha Bichi was reported to have ordered the arrest of Yusuf in Kano.
The governorship candidate was also barred from boarding a Max Air flight from Kano to the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, on Sunday night.
It was gathered that the problem began at the VIP lounge gate of the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano, when the politician's convoy allegedly caused traffic congestion, briefly preventing Mrs Bichi's convoy from entering the controlled area.
Sources said the situation angered Mrs Bichi as her security guards started beating up people and hitting vehicles for “disrespecting” her.
According to witnesses, the NNPP candidate later went into the lounge to meet his wife's friend and complain about the security personnel's inappropriate behaviour.
“No sooner had Abba approached her than she began raining insults on him. Although the state director of service attempted to calm her down, she continued pouring the expletives, saying she would not allow him to be a governor,” an eyewitness said.
It was further gathered that the crisis worsened when she sighted a member of the politician’s entourage, Garba Kilo, filming the altercation with his phone.
The witness continued: “As she saw Kilo taking a video, she immediately ordered the personnel to kill him, saying ‘kill him, and nothing will happen.’
In a statement by its Co-Chairmen, Ayo Ademiluyi and Kunle Ajayi, COPA condemned the continuous clampdowns on democratic rights by the ruling regime.
The statement read, “We of the Convergence for A Working People's Political Alternative (COPA), a coalition of left-leaning revolutionary and radical political parties as well as pro-working people's organizations welcomes the rescheduling of the Congress of the People's Redemption Party to Kano on Monday, 16th January, 2023. We wish the People's Redemption Party successful deliberations at this auspicious moment of class struggle.
“We are equally constrained to react to the fresh outcry of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that the forthcoming general election faces serious threat of cancellation given the widespread insecurity across the country.
“We are constrained to posit that we are not surprised by this latest lamentation by INEC as we hold that the forthcoming general elections is being designed to create an impasse by the entire sections of the ruling elites.
“This is already being implemented through clampdown on democratic rights by the ruling regime. Today , in the iconic city of Lagos , 2 Yoruba Nation supporters were gunned down by the Nigeria Police. Another case in point is that of the arrest of the President of Middle Belt Youth Forum by the State Security Services.
“A spectacular case is that of the wife of the Director General of State Security Services "ordering" the arrest of Kano NNPP Guber Candidate and ordering the personnel of the SSS to kill the candidate's aides.
“We hold that all parties of the ruling elites, including but not limited to the People's Democratic Party , the All Progressives Congress and quite unfortunately the Labour Party share the same neo-liberal perspective about the future of our country.
“While we condemn the clampdown on democratic rights as the elections approach, we are quick to warn that the eventual emergence of any ruling class party at the polls spell doom for the working people.
“We call on the working people to prepare for the inevitable class confrontation with the ruling class that lies ahead. This is why we of COPA are opposed to this latest attacks on democratic rights and we will mobilise against it.
“We submit that this fresh wave of attacks on democratic rights is taking place amidst degenerating security situation. As we write 14 persons kidnapped by unknown gunmen at the Edo Railway Station are still being held ransom by the kidnappers.
“We call for the widest mobilisation of the rank and file of the working people to resist this latest attacks on democratic rights and attacks on living conditions such as increment in electricity tariff in order to put in power a revolutionary working people's government which can truly cut ties with imperialism in all its shade and open an egalitarian socialist future in solidarity with working people across the world.”