Katsina State Governor, Aminu Bello Masari, on Monday made a U-turn on his earlier decision that the Presidential Candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and the party could not use Muhammadu Dikko Stadium in Katsina for presidential campaign rally on Tuesday, December 20, 2022.
Curiously, the letter given Atiku the go ahead to use the facility instead of the old stadium or polo ground in the state capital surfaced online on Monday after the PDP condemned in strong terms the refusal of the incumbent All Progressive Congress (APC) to grant its request.
But Masari approved the use of the ultramodern stadium for rally in a letter ostensibly dated December 16, 2022, by the Permanent Secretary, Political and Common Services in the Secretary to the Government of the State office, Sulaiman Kankia, for the SGS.
The terse letter reads in part: “Further to our letter No. S/SGKT/43/POL/ VOL1/298 dated 13th December, 2022, and having achieved substantial progress in the repair works at Muhammadu Dikko Stadium, His Excellency, the Governor, Rt. Hon. Aminu Bello Masari, has approved the use of the facility by the Peoples Democratic party for its presidential campaign rally.
“The above approval has been conveyed to the Hon. Commissioner, Ministry of Sports and Social Development, for necessary action.”
Recall that former National Secretary of the PDP and chairman of the party’s presidential and gubernatorial campaign council in Katsina, Sen. Ibrahim Umar Tsauri, expressed very strong reservations at a press conference in Katsina on Sunday, over the government’s decision to thwart the party’s plan to use the Dikko Stadium as venue of its presidential campaign rally.
Meanwhile, teachers at primary and secondary schools across the state on Monday held Teachers Support Rally at the Dikko Stadium to endorse the Presidential candidate of the APC, Bola Tinubu, and the gubernatorial candidate of the ruling party, Dr. Dikko Radda.
The event had in attendance the state commissioner for education, Dr. Badamasi Lawal Charanchi; Special Adviser to the Government on Higher Education, Dr. Bashir Ruwangodiya; the Chairman of Katsina SUBEB, lawal Buhari, and APCAPC governorship candidate, Dr. Radda, among other dignitaries.
