BY AHMED TUKUR, LAFIA – Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State has declared there will be no sacred cows as full-scale investigations commenced into the bloody disruption that marred the recent All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign rally in Lafia, the state capital.
According to the governor, his administration would not watch and let anarchy dictate the State’s political narrative ahead of the 2027 general elections, vowing to unmask those involved in orchestrating the riotous incident and their alleged sponsors.
Consequently, rising from an expanded State Executive Council (SEC) meeting at the Government House, Lafia, on Thursday, the governor ordered a thorough investigation into the conduct of security agencies and other suspects during the violent clash that reportedly left no fewer than 40 people injured, with several others missing.
With a defiant stand to ensure that no political shield or highly placed status would protect those who decided turned a democratic gathering into a battle zone, Governor Sule also questioned the circumstances surrounding the use of tear gas at the rally, particularly around the podium.
A statement by his Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Media Affairs, Ali Abare, described the incident as embarrassing and unacceptable, especially given the presence of Vice President Kashim Shettima, who represented President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, at the august event.
The statement said: “The embarrassment was not to the State or the Presidential Campaign Council alone. It was an embarrassment to the Vice President on behalf of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. That is the reason why we cannot take it lightly”.
The governor directed security agencies to invite and question everyone suspected of having a role in the incident, irrespective of their previous positions or status, insisting that the investigation should go beyond the arrest of a few suspected youths.
Further stressing that those who allegedly planned, sponsored or masterminded the disruption must also be identified and held accountable, the statement said, “We cannot, at the end of the day, after having such an embarrassment, just go and arrest five or six Almajiris and say that is the end of it. It will not work. The people responsible for this must be called to order.”
He also expressed concern over reports that some individuals had allegedly planned to disrupt the rally before it took place, citing the reported attack on the Vice President’s convoy and the throwing of an object suspected to be a shoe towards the podium where Shettima and other governors were standing.
The governor, who warned against allowing political disagreements to degenerate into violence, cautioning that such developments could threaten peace and stability in the state, said: “I don’t want us to behave like them. If we behave like them, believe me, the state will become ungovernable. “
While commending the military, the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) for their intervention during the incident, Sule said he convened the meeting to ensure that all concerns surrounding the violence were properly presented before further action was taken.
Meanwhile, the Nasarawa State Government has alleged that former Governor and Senator Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, as well as the Social Democratic Party (SDP) governorship candidate and former Inspector-General of Police, Adamu Abubakar, were linked to the violence.
A separate statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Barrister Labaran Magaji, the State government described the incident as an ignoble act allegedly perpetrated by some irate youths suspected of having connections with prominent personalities.
Calling for accountability over the incident, which raised concerns about political violence and security management in the state, the government said it would maintain zero tolerance for acts of political violence and lawlessness within the state.
Forefront News recalls that the atmosphere that was thick with political euphoria and the rhythmic beating of campaign drums, was suddenly engulfed by panic and violence as what was meant to be a grand showcase of the ruling party unity degenerated into a chaotic theatre of flying objects and shattered peace, leaving several persons injured and the state’s political landscape deeply rattled.
