Kano state governor Abdullahi Ganduje has ordered the reopening of the Sani Abacha Stadium, Kofar Mata, to enable Atiku Abubakar of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) hold his presidential campaign rally.
The state government ordered the reopening of the biggest stadium in Kano after Governor Ganduje’s earlier order that the stadium be closed for immediate renovation was criticised.
Atiku’s rally is scheduled for February 10 while the renovation works had been fixed to end on 18 February.
The Cable, an online newspaper, had reported that the shutdown of the Sani Abacha Stadium was intended to frustrate the campaign rally of the PDP.
But the commissioner for information in the state, Muhammad Garba, said the contractor in charge of the renovation had been directed to remove all equipment from the stadium till after the PDP presidential rally.
“As a democrat who believes in freedom of association, His Excellency the governor did not order the closure of the stadium to frustrate the campaign rally of the PDP. The stadium only closed for the intended renovation works,” Garba said in a statement.
It was gathered that the proposed general renovation in the stadiums in the APC-controlled state reportedly included the installation of the new scoreboard, the running track and provision of sources for steady water supply to all parts of the stadiums.
Kano is likely to play a major role in the outcome of this month’s presidential poll as, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec), the pyramid state has the highest number of registered voters for the 2019 elections. More than five million people registered to vote in the state.
Buhari had emphatically defeated Goodluck Jonathan in the 2015 elections with a margin of nearly two million votes.
This year’s Presidential election is scheduled to hold on Saturday, February 16, 2019, alongside National Assembly polls.
While the governorship election and State Houses of Assembly elections are scheduled for Saturday, March 2, 2019.
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