During a press conference in Kaduna on Saturday, state PDP Chairman Sir Edward Percy Masha claimed that a joint security team carried out the operation. 

He alleged that the personnel raided a hotel in Malali targeting Hon. Hussein Ahmed-Kero, the PDP Campaign Council Chairman, but, unable to locate him, they detained Dawaki and the others instead. 

“The PDP condemns this brazen act of harassment, intimidation, and insanity by the APC and demands the immediate and unconditional release of its candidate and all others being held hostage,” Masha told journalists.

He further called on President Bola Tinubu, the Inspector-General of Police, the DSS Director-General, the Chief of Army Staff, and the Chief of Defence Staff to intervene and halt what he described as an “egregious abuse of power.”

The PDP chairman urged civil society organizations, democracy advocates, and citizens to resist any attempt to intimidate voters or compromise the electoral process in the affected constituencies.

Masha said the ruling APC resorted to intimidation because it fears electoral defeat.”The APC’s actions signal that the party is heading towards rejection, hence its resort to this show of force, akin to the last kick of a dying horse. But no amount of intimidation can save the APC from being rejected by the people,” he declared.

The PDP assured its supporters that it would remain resolute in defending their rights and freedoms while keeping the public updated on developments.