By Ikechukwu Okaforadi
The gubernatorial candidate of the main opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bauchi State, Air Marshal Abubakar Sadiq (rtd), has refuted the allegation against him and his party that they had recruited 1,000 foot soldiers with arms to disrupt the 2023 general elections in the state.
He described the allegation as “false and malicious” which is intended to tarnish his image and that of the party.
The governorship candidate, through his lawyer, Ishaq Magaji (SAN), while reacting to a publication dated August 7th, 2022, credited to Sahara Reporters that the APC flagbearer and his party had recruited militants and thugs to destabilize the 2022 elections in Bauchi.
In a letter addressed to Sahara Reporters and made available to journalists in Jos, the Plateau State capital, Magaji said the publication “is a very serious allegation capable of tarnishing the hard-earned reputation of our client, who spent 42 years of his life at field taking the battle against insurgency with enormous energy and sacrifice for the overall peace of the country.
“Your publication portrayed our client as a thug. Thereby, exposed him to hate and ridicule from the peace-loving people of Bauchi State, Nigerian citizens, and the international community.
“Your publication is not only false but malicious and an attempt to mar the reputation of our client.
“We hereby demand that you retract your publication with a public apology to our client within seven days of receiving this letter and a public apology to be published in two national dailies in Nigeria.
“Take note that if you fail, neglect and/or refuse to publish the apology within seven days from today, we shall not hesitate to commence legal action against you for defamation”, the lawyer stressed.
