Gov Ishaku Condemns Alleged Killing Of PDP Members In Taraba By APC Supporters

BY AMEH IDUJAGI, JALINGO – Governor Darius Ishaku of Taraba state on Thursday condemned the alleged attack and killings of several supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in the state by suspected supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the presidential campaign rally in the state. 

This was contained in a statement issued in Jalingo in which Governor Ishaku also condemned alleged attack on his convoy which resulted in the destruction of vehicles.

He warned that the state government would no longer fold its arms and watch wanton destruction of lives by rampaging hoodlums in the name of politics. 

According to him; “Today’s presidential campaign flag off of the All Progressives Congress (APC), ended on a very tragic note. Thugs hired by the APC leaders in the state turned the event into an opportunity to launch violent attacks on members and supporters of the PDP, in the course of which several lives were lost. 

“A similar attack on the convoy of governor while on his way back from the airport after seeing the president off led to the destruction of vehicles. This is very sad and the government would no longer sit back and watch this kind of carnage.”

In a swift reaction however, the spokesperson of the APC in the state, Mr Aaron Artimas said it was most unfortunate that the state government was playing politics with the unfortunate stampede at the venue of the presidential campaign rally in Jalingo which led to the death of about five persons. 

According to Artimas; “The crowd at the Jolly Nyame stadium was simply overwhelming, as no one had anticipated such a massive turnout. In the course of trying to catch a glimpse of the president, there was stampede and about five persons died. Granted that these were APC supporters, they were still citizens of this state and Governor Ishaku’s subjects.

“The least one would expect from a leader is to sympathise with their families rather than playing cheap politics with their deaths. If he claims the persons are PDP members, then what were they doing at the APC rally?”

Meanwhile, a chieftain of the APC in the state Alhaji Hassan Ardo Jika has described the death of five at the presidential campaign rally in Taraba state as an act of God.

In a condolence message to the families of those who lost loved ones at the in the stampede, Jika, who is Nigeria’s envoy to the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago alleged that the PDP supporters were attacking members of the APC who are returning to their various places after witnessing the presidential rally in Jalingo, and called on APC members to remain calm and restrain from the tendency to take the law into their own hands and retaliate the unprovoked attacks, but to allow the security agencies do their work. 

Our correspondent reports that there is high tension in Jalingo and environs as there are reports of attacks with hoodlums are moving around the town.