The Maku Campaign Organisation has strongly condemned the attack on the convoy of the governorship candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) in Nasarawa State, Mr. Labaran Maku by hired political thugs chanting the name of APC’s Presidential Candidate Muhammadu Buhari.
The attack happened on 13th March, 2015 in Marraraba, Karu Local Government Area while Mr. Maku was on tour of the state in continuation of his campaign preparatory to the governorship elections on April 11.
This is the second time that APC supporters are attacking Mr. Maku’s convoy. Five weeks ago, a similar attack took place at Kwanderre, the hometown of Governor Almakura near Lafia.
The APC thugs, who apparently must have staged an ambush, descended on the convoy under the Marraraba Overhead Pedestrian Bridge with stones, sticks and bottles.
Scores of people on the convoy and bystanders were unfortunately injured in the attack while the windscreen of several vehicles were smashed.
The thugs that perpetrated the attack were Hausa-Fulani elements who stay around the Marraraba Overhead Pedestrian Bridge.
Although Mr. Maku is contesting under APGA, his widespread and effective campaign for the reelection of President Goodluck Jonathan has continued to attract the anger of APC supporters in the state who see him as the threat to both the incumbent governor, Tanko Almakura and General Muhammadu Buhari in the coming governorship and presidential elections.
Mr. Maku has carried President Jonathan’s campaign to all areas of Nasarawa state in recent months to the extent that he is generally seen as the lead campaigner for the reelection of the president in the state.
The All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) had adopted President Jonathan as its presidential candidate in the March 28 presidential election.
Speaking to journalists at Karu after the attack on his convoy, Mr. Maku condemned the increasing intolerance and violence shown by APC supporters particularly in the Northern part of the country.
He said Nasarawa State had descended into insurgency, which led to the destruction of many communities since the inception of the Almakura administration.
Mr. Maku urged his supporters not to retaliate so as not to divert attention from the real issue in the campaign which was to restore peace to Nasarawa after years of violence and destruction under the APC rule.
Mr. Maku, however, warned that the current violence by APC and Buhari supporters pointed to the kind of violence that led to the post-election violence in the northern part of the country in 2011 where innocent people lost their lives after President Jonathan won the elections.
He implored that APC should call their supporters to order and peace should be the mantra of all political parties at all costs in this election.
The former Information Minister said APGA supporters should demonstrate exemplary conduct and focus on the issues destroying Nasarawa state and come together as one and peacefully to ensure the exit of Governor Tanko Almakura at the upcoming elections on April 11th.
Mr. Maku called on the people to vote massively for President Jonathan for the continuation of the transformation that was started under the president’s leadership.
Mr. Maku is generally seen as the lead candidate for the governorship because of the mass defections from the APC and PDP since he emerged as the candidate of APGA.
Zakari Edego
Director Publicity
Maku Campaign Organisation
