Angry mobs poured into two separate campaign venues in Nasarawa and
Keffi yesterday and disrupted the All Progressives’ Congress (APC)
campaign led by Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura,
The governor is leading a campaign of the APC ahead of local
government council elections scheduled to come up this Saturday.
No sooner had the campaign kicked off than angry rioters reacting to
alleged widespread substitution of candidates by the party, blocked
the convoy of the governor.
The governor’s convoy was pelted with stones and garbage in Nasarawa
Township, after two of the aspirants who contested in the
controversial February primaries presented themselves at the campaign
venues as candidates. Attempts by the party officials to announce the
candidate for the election sent angry youths heading towards the VIP
stand, and disrupting the process.
Although the governor and his entourage escaped unhurt, stones and
garbage hurled by the angry mob hit the vehicles from all directions.
The incident compelled the party to put off campaigns in Nasarawa,
following which the convoy moved to Keffi, where the venue was already
set in front of the Emir of Keffi’s palace.
But a mob, reacting to the outcome of the February’s primary election
where the party announced a candidate in Lafia in substitution of the
winner of the exercise, stormed the venue before the governor got
there, and burned the podium raised for him to present the candidate
with the party flag.
The party declared Suleiman Auwalu as the winner of the primary
election in Keffi, but two days later, the state party structure
announced Mohammed Dikko in Government House, sparking series of
violence in the ancient town.
But the governor, after meeting with both parties in the Keffi
contest, drove to the same venue, where a new podium was set up, and
handed the flag to Dikko.
Director of Press to the governor, Ilyasu Ali Yakubu confirmed the
incident in Nasarawa and Keffi, but insisted that the governor was not
pelted.
State police spokesman, ASP Umaru Ismaila said he had no information
on the incident.
