President Goodluck Jonathan’s convoy was again stoned on
Thursday by some aggrieved youths in Jalingo, Taraba State.
Jonathan was in the city in continuation of the Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential rally.
His convoy had before Thursday been stoned in Katsina and Bauchi states when he went to seek the votes for his re-election bid.
It was gathered that the windscreens and
windows of some of the vehicles on the convoy were destroyed before
security operatives used tear gas and horsewhips to disperse the
youths.
Those who witnessed the Thursday incident but pleaded anonymity told The PUNCH
that the incident occurred when the President’s convoy was going to the
palace of the Emir of Muri, Abass Tafida, from the airport.
One of them said, “Security agents
ensured that people were moved very far from the main but at a point,
the convoy got to a particular village where the youths became restive.
“Before we knew what was happening, they started stoning the convoy.”
It however could not be determined as of press time if anyone in the convoy was hurt or any arrests made.
One of our correspondents learnt that
Jonathan, who was unruffled by the incident, used the opportunity of his
visit to the state to meet with ailing Governor Danbaba Suntai.
Suntai has been unable to return to work since he was involved in a plane crash in October 2012.
The PUNCH learnt that Jonathan met with Suntai inside the Government House, Jalingo.
But while Jonathan was busy campaigning, another set of angry youths descended on the state PDP secretariat in Jalingo.
It took the intervention of security
agents to save the edifice from being reduced to rubble by the angry
youths who vandalised 12 vehicles on the premises.
The spokesman for the PDP in the state,
Napoleon Adamu,who lamented the incident, said the youths were
protesting their non-inclusion in the preparation for Jonathan’s visit.
He expressed anger that despite the
Abuja accord signed by all the presidential candidates , some elements
could still go as far as attacking members of the party.
He said, “We are happy that no life was
lost and we want to appeal to our teeming youths to eschew violence and
not to take the law into their own hands.
“Even before the date the President’s
campaign was fixed, the youths had been complaining that they were not
carried along by the committees constituted for the visit.”
At the state stadium campaign ground,
Jonathan said he would ensure the completion of both the Kashimbila
Dam and the Mambilla Hydro Power projects in the state if re-elected.
He added that plans were on to establish
a presidential resort at Mambilla to attract top government
functionaries and business moguls to the state.
Jonathan later moved to Yola, Adamawa
State, where he again assured the people that Michika and Madagali
Local government Areas would be recaptured by the military from Boko
Haram.
Jonathan told the crowd that his
administration would provide funds to enable those affected by
insurgency to rebuild their houses and live a meaningful life.
Making inferences about insinuations in
certain quarters that he was going about seeking re-election when Boko
Haram was intensifying its attacks on parts of the North-East, the
President urged the people to disregard such.
“No human being with his right senses,
except a mad man, will encourage the insurgents to attack and kill
people for political purposes while he is going about looking for
votes,” Jonathan said at the Mahmud Ribadu Square venue of the rally.
“No political leader will compromise his
stance and connive with terrorists under whatever circumstances to
declare war on his country,” he added.
Calling on the electorate to have
confidence in the leadership of the PDP for accelerated development,
Jonathan warned Nigerians against playing politics with insecurity.
He said that his administration was
“disturbed by the insurgents’ activities” and added that it was mad
for political opponents to claim that he was not doing much to end the
insurgency which, according to him, is a global phenomenon.
“This type of allegation from
politicians who campaign to garner votes from the electorate amounts to
madness. People should disregard such insinuations because they
are aimed at derailing our democracy,” Jonathan added.
He advised the people to also vote for
the PDP governorship candidate in the state, Nuhu Ribadu, whom, he said,
would use his position to fight Boko Haram.
A PDP topshot and a former Petroleum
Minister, Prof. Jibril Aminu; former acting Governor Umaru Fintiri;
and the Senate President, David Mark, jointly called on the electorate
to vote for Jonathan.
They said the best legacy the President
and the government of PDP could leave behind was a good educational
standard for the people.
The National Chairman of the party, Adamu Mu’azu, after thanking the people, presented the PDP flag to Ribadu.
He also lifted the suspension of a
former National Chairman of the party, Bamanga Tukur, and the state
executive of the PDP .
A little drama however happened when
overzealous security agents on horseback thrashed some of the party
supporters. This made some of the party loyalists to react back by
hauling chairs at the security operatives.
Source:Punch Newspaper.
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