The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the ongoing trial of the immediate past Governor of Katsina State, Alhaji Ibrahim Shema as contrived.
In a statement issued on Friday by the spokesman of the PDP, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, the party said the ex-governor was being persecuted by the Federal Government.
Shema is standing trial in a Katsina court for alleged corrupt practices while he served as governor of Katsina State from 2007 to 2015.
But the PDP has condemned what it described as “the recent shenanigans” that are being carefully orchestrated to politically persecute the former governor.
The statement said, “It is obvious today to all and sundry in Nigeria and the Diaspora that those under trial by the court on corruption charges are perceived enemies of President Muhammadu Buhari, his party, the APC.
“In this context, the spot light of APC is now on Alhaji Shema, a political son of the late former President, Alhaji Umar Musa Yar’Adua who in a landslide victory, defeated Buhari in the 2007 presidential election to win the Presidency on the platform of our great party, PDP.
“In the same vein, Ibrahim Shema defeated the candidates of the ANPP who were the choice of Buhari for the governorship election in Katsina State in 2007 and 2011, respectively.
“Nigerians will also recall that Barr. Shema as the Governor of Katsina State, supported the choice of the former President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR against Buhari, an indigene of Katsina State in the 2015 presidential election.
“President Buhari and co-travellers cannot understand this and we ask, why? Is it difficult to comprehend the tenets of democracy and the rights of citizens to free choice of candidates and parties?
“For the records, these trump-up charges, arrests and trials of Alhaji Ibrahim Shema is part of the APC’s plan to intimidate, harass and blackmail opposition leaders around the country in order to silence them ahead of the 2019 general elections.”
The party added that Shema unarguably remained one of the most performing governors produced by the PDP.
“He is known for his infrastructural development and implementation of people oriented policies and programmes that uplifted the lives of his people within the period of his administration.
“While we do not support corruption of any kind no matter who is involved, however we disagree with the selective persecution of PDP leaders and members by President Buhari and the APC,” the party added.
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