2023 general election
2023: Niger PDP Guber Candidate, Kantigi denies threatening supporters with death
**Says opponents are afraid of his popularity. Ahead of poll
The governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Niger State, Alhaji Isah Liman Kantigi has described reports that he threatened his own supporters with death as ludicrous, fictitious and assassination of his character
Reports in some media space had alleged that the governorship candidate in a viral video issued death threat against his supporters.
He was quoted in the said report to have stated that anyone who takes his money without supporting his ambition during the March 11 governorship poll in the state will face humiliation and later die.
Reacting in a statement in Minna on Friday by the Director Communications,
Niger PDP Campaign Council, Content Officer (North), Alhaji Yahaya Mohammed said the reports are not only false but a calculated attempt to tarnish the good image and the growing popularity of the governorship candidate ahead of the polls.
The statement reads in parts; “The Attention of the People’s Democratic Party campaign Council in Niger State has been drawn to a fictitious story by some section of the media,
on a fictional, fictitious and spurious video claiming that PDP gubernatorial candidate, Hon. Isah Liman Kantigi was caught on Camera threatening his supporters with death if they collected Monies and refused to vote for him”
According to him, the publications are the handiwork of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state that its candidates at all levels have come under verbal and physical attacks at their campaigns from the electorates who are tired of many failed promises and hardship unleashed on them by the ruling party.
While putting the records straight, the statement said, “The fact is that, the gubernatorial candidate in the said video was speaking about the manner in which contractors collected monies in billions from APC Government and out rightly refused to carry out projects for the masses to benefit without any sanction”
He that the governorship candidate in the said video told the people that such corrupt practices will not be tolerated in his administration if voted into office.
The Director of Communications argued that the full and unedited video explained in details, the submission by the governorship candidate, stressing that “the opposition carefully and dubiously edited the video just to give a different impression to the general public”.
He pointed out further that “Ordinarily, the campaign council wouldn’t have bothered itself with such a mischief publications designed to give a lifeline to the suffocating and gasping APC and its candidates in the state, who now fear even their shadows, but since, our friends in the media who should know better, were misled to take it without knowing the context and scene at which such doctored video was created or seeking a balance of their reports, it becomes imperative to put out the fact for all”, he added.
The statement submitted that “For the avoidance of doubts, Kantigi’s philosophy and generosity for over 30 years now, has been unconditional and with no strings attached”
He indicated that the outcome of the March 11 governorship election in the state will not change that philosophy.
“For clarity and record, the next PDP Government of Niger State will be purposeful, people driven, Projects and Development focused. Any contractor coming to continue the APC ways of taking monies with no work done will face the consequences.”