Sokoto — Former governor of Sokoto State and presidential candidate of the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) in the April 21, 2007 presidenital election, Alhaji Attahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa, yesterday said President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua is proving not to be different from his predecessor in office, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.

Bafarawa, who raised alarm that principal members of his political party, including himself, are being hounded by security agencies at the behest of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said PDP has not changed its do-or-die politics in spite of change of baton from Obasanjo to Yar'Adua.

In a statement yesterday, the former governor stated thus: "My supporters and associates are being hounded on the eve of a run-off election. The do-or-die politics of PDP is assuming a more dangerous dimension as this time around the state police commissioner now openly works with PDP thugs to harass and intimidate our people."

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had slated the Sokoto State governorship re-run election for May 24, 2008. The two major political parties in the contest are the PDP and DPP.

Bafarawa recalled that in the run-up to the 2007 governorship and presidential elections, he was a victim of "do-or-die" politics.

"Today, we are seeing the same tactics replayed in Sokoto State. We may have a new president but the election tactics of the PDP and the presidency remain the same," he said.

Justifying his claim that his party men are being hounded, Bafarawa stated further: "Nigerians must note that the invitation from the EFCC came a few weeks before the governorship run-off elections scheduled for May 24, 2008.

"On the EFCC list of invitees is the candidate of my party, the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP), in the run-off election, Alhaji Maigari Dingyadi. In fact, Alhaji Dingyadi is scheduled to appear before the EFCC on the same day and time that his case at the Federal High Court, Abuja is supposed to be heard."

"Nigerians should not also forget that a week to the 2007 governorship election in Sokoto State, my house was invaded by a team of about 50 mobile policemen and women purportedly sent by the EFCC. I was a sitting governor then with constitutionally guaranteed immunity.

"This did not deter these mobile police officers from unleashing a reign of terror in my house and on my household for several hours. Not even President Olusegun Obasanjo could lift a finger to call off this unwarranted unlawful act of a federal agency."

With the benefit of hindsight, Bafarawa said that the invasion of his residence and that of some of his party stalwarts "destabilised us and our plans for the governorship and even presidential elections. It also gave the PDP added impetus to rig elections, kill and mainly our party members and supporters."

Bafarawa, 54, who is grateful to Allah for the opportunity of governing Sokoto State for eight years, said that he opted for the politics of ideas instead of "a do-or-die" politics, because he now considers himself a statesman, in spite of his age.

"I chose to play politics of ideas not "a do or die" politics only means senseless loss of lives of our people. It means destruction of the means of livelihood of our people. Incidentally, those who gleefully announce 'do-or-die' politics hide behind bullet-proof cars and fenced walls as their words turn our youths to murderers, while their own children move about with police protection," he noted.