Tension Looms Between APC, PDP In Kaduna

In less than nine days to the country’s general elections, the major opposition party, All Progressive Congress (APC) and the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is reportedly building up tension in Kaduna State.




 
ThisDay reports that the tension became worse following the recent stoning of the state Governor, Mukhtar Yero’s convoy on Monday in Birnin-Gwari and Udawa during his campaign rally, allegedly by the supporters of the APC.

The incident reportedly happened after the governor’s return to Kaduna city, where some people alleged to be APC members booed  him around the Panteka and Bakin Ruwa areas of the city, chanting “Ba Mu so” (we don’t want) as the governor’s convoy was passing by.
Meanwhile, another group believed to be PDP supporters in Bakin Ruwa reportedly responded by attacking any vehicle, motorcycles and tricycles (Keke NAPE) carrying APC stickers.
It was also learnt that the APC presidential candidate Campaign billboards, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and that of the state governorship candidate, Mallam Nasir  El-Rufai in the area and the one at of Kabala West were destroyed by the angry mob.

Many people sustained injuries during the incident which caused panic among residents in the affected areas.
Reacting to the incident on Tuesday the APC in a statement issued in Kaduna, accused Yero and the PDP for promoting violence.
However, Senator Sani Sale, who spoke to newsmen on behalf of the party, maintained that the governor should be held responsible for the brawl.

“We make bold to say that responsibility for the mayhem, injuries and the loss of lives and property rest squarely on Yero and his PDP government,” Sale said.
The APC chieftain alleged that Yero had during the launch of his campaign last month, incited his supporters to violence “apart from threatening the property, liberty and freedom of movement of El-Rufai, our candidate for the governorship of this state.”
Sale, who insisted that the reaction of the APC to such incitements was to ask its supporters not to respond to provocations.

According to him, the APC has written to alert the National Human Rights Commission and representatives of the international community to “this blatant instance of hate speech.”
Sale further revealed that the state chapter of the APC campaign secretariat had taken several steps to discharge its responsibility to maintain peace in the state so that campaigns and the elections can take place in a competitive but calm atmosphere.

“Despite the fact that our campaign itinerary had long been concluded, with a zonal rally for Kaduna Central fixed for Kaduna last Saturday, 31 January 2015, we delayed the conclusion of our Zone 2 tour last week once we learnt that the PDP had scheduled a presidential rally for the same day. We followed up the suspension of campaign activities in Kaduna by running massive radio announcements to advise our supporters to stay off the streets during the PDP’s rally to avoid being the victims of the callous shoot-at-sight order given to soldiers and security agents. We also shifted our campaign activities to Zone 3, three days earlier than scheduled, precisely to deny and frustrate the PDP’s plan to unleash violence and blame it on us. You can therefore imagine our outrage that Governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero yesterday supervised hoodlums and thugs on a rampage against people and properties. It is bad enough that his entourage attacked and destroyed billboards of General Muhammadu Buhari and Malam Nasir El-Rufai in the Bakin Ruwa and Kabala West areas of Kaduna, the state capital. It is worse that residents who challenged this act of wanton vandalisation were attacked and beaten by the thugs. It is worst that Yero was in the motorcade as his henchmen attacked persons and property with a ferocity that claimed lives. Yero’s security detail got in the unfortunate action, shooting at citizens who happened to be in the area. Election is a civilised contest and we cannot allow Yero to turn his impending defeat into an inferno for everyone. We call on the good people of Kaduna State to remain calm and avoid any provocation. We will insist that this election is conducted in an atmosphere of peace and orderliness,” Sale said.
Meanwhile, the political tension in the country in general did not exempt the south  west region as it would be recalled that a socio-cultural organization for the Yoruba people, the Afenifere, is reportedly in disarray following the declaration of its support for the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan.