OUTRAGE was the word, yesterday, as scores of supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Presidential Candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, were injured when hoodlums, attacked their convoy in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.
The reporter gathered that Atiku’s convoy was attacked just as he left the Palace of the Shehu of Borno to Ramat Square, venue of the presidential rally.
The injured persons have since been rushed to hospitals in the state capital.
Minutes before the presidential candidate took to the stage, the spokesperson of the Atiku’s campaign council, Dino Melaye, announced that the convoy of the campaign council was attacked and no fewer than 174 supporters were injured in the process, while over 100 vehicles in the convoy were vandalised.
He accused the All Progressives Congress, APC, of trying to stop their campaign in the state by deploying thugs to attack them.
He said: “They deployed their thugs to attack our convoys with stones, sticks, machetes as we left the Shehu’s Palace to come to the Ramat Square, all in an attempt to stop our rally.”
Dino lamented that the “thugs were deployed to many strategic locations to attack our supporters. But we want to assure them that nobody can stop us.”
The attack elicited condemnations from Arewa Constultative Forum, ACF, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Afenifere, Middle Belt Forum, MBF, Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, and Chief Akin Osuntokun, who warned that the development could hurt the 2023 general polls. The outrage came as Borno State Police and the APC debunked the attack with the police saying it provided security for the campaign convoy and ensured peace all through the campaign.
Atiku laments growing APC attacks on PDP rallies
Alhaji Atiku Abubakar specifically raised alarm over what he said appears to be an orchestrated attack on PDP campaign rallies by suspected thugs engaged by the APC.
In a statement by his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, the PDP flagbearer explained that the presidential campaign rally of the PDP held in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital was the first to be held in the North-East region, where he hails from.
He lamented that hoodlums wielding APC’s flag attacked the convoy of vehicles conveying dignitaries to the venue, saying: “It is rather unfortunate that the APC in Borno State mobilized some of its members to attack the convoy carrying dignitaries who had earlier paid a courtesy visit at the Shehu of Borno palace to the venue of the rally.
“While it is well understood that such barbaric behaviour is typical of the APC, it must be noted that, this time around, it is specifically the last kick of a dying horse. The APC, apparently overwhelmed by the large turn-out of supporters to greet our presidential candidate, resorted to anti-democratic actions to scare the crowd away from the rally.”
(Vanguard)