2019 Election: Kwankwaso Denied Access To Use Eagle Square For Presidential Declaration

Senator Kwankwaso may no longer be able to make use of the Eagle Square Abuja for the official declaration to run for the presidential election as the federal government has denied him access to the place.
Former Kano State governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, has been reportedly denied access to the Eagle Square in Abuja, the proposed venue of the official declaration of his presidential bid.

According to PREMIUM Times, Kwankwaso who recently defected from All Progressives Congress (APC) to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), was also denied access to the Old Parade Ground, another major public arena at the federal capital, Abuja.

The influential politician had announced Wednesday as the day for the political event in a statement from his presidential campaign committee on Sunday.

In a letter signed by Usman Raji, the facility manager of the Abuja International Conference Centre & Eagles Square, the government said the decision to deny him the Eagle Square was to avoid disruption of “work flow” at the Federal Secretariat, a major hub of civil servants.

The letter dated August 27, was referenced in a statement by the Kwankwaso Campaign Organisation, and sent to PREMIUM Times, reads;

“We are sorry to inform you that the event can no longer hold on the said date because it is a political event and the 29th of August, 2018 happens to be a work day, as it would disrupt the usual work flow of the Federal Secretariat.

“We apologise for the oversight on our part to note the date in relation to the nature of the event. We regret every inconvenience caused by this,” Raji said in the letter.

The Kwankwaso Campaign Organisation in its statement said it “sees the development as a handiwork of the government in power who will not see anything good in growing our fledgling democracy as no level playing field has been created to allow for viable opposition in the country.

“Even at that, earlier Tuesday morning the Abuja International Conference and Eagle Square, managed by the Integrated Facility Management Services Ltd refused us access to inspect the premises demanding us to present a police permit, when actual approval for the use of the Eagle Square has been sought and paid for more than one week to the said declaration.

“The above development will in no way dampen our morale to go ahead with the declaration or chicken-out as it will only embolden us to legally pursue our fundamental right to freedom of movement and association.”

It is not yet clear if Kwankwaso will proceed with the declaration as scheduled despite the permit refusal, as the senator’s spokesperson, Binta Sipikin, could not be reached at the time of this report as her phone was switched off.

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