Borno PDP accuses APC of torching campaign offices, others

BORNO State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned the torching of its campaign offices, during which 29 youths were also injured without provocation during the visit of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, at Ramat Square in Maiduguri.

   Addressing newsmen Wednesday in Maiduguri at the PDP secretariat complex, Executive Secretary of Muhammad Imam Governorship Campaign Organization, Shettima Barma, said the violence allegedly perpetrated by some members and supporters of APC was “barbaric and a threat to lives and property.

   “On Monday, February 16, 2015, we woke up to another day of threats, violence, maiming and destruction of lives and property by the same APC supporters who are claiming progressive. What necessitated this act of barbarism?” he queried. 

   “The APC has demonstrated that they dread peaceful means and therefore choose to play dirty politics by way of intimidation, threats and violence, as in their thinking it is the only way to win elections.”

   The motive behind the violent activities, according to him, was that APC was not prepared for elections and there was nothing to present the electorate with, as the “achievements to warrant their re-election bid cannot be substantiated in any part of the state.”

   He further alleged that during the presidential campaigns in Maiduguri, many innocent citizens were attacked, including the 29 PDP youths that were injured, some of whom were presented before the newsmen. 

   He added that furthering their violent acts and intimidation, the APC mob also attacked a policeman deployed to protect the President Goodluck/Sambo campaign office on Kashim Ibrahim Way, his uniform torn into pieces and his personal effects, including his ID card, carted away.

   He assured indigenes that as APC continues to provoke PDP members and supporters, it would only gear them towards their resolve to rescue the state and its people from maladministration, threats of violence and intimidation.

   Reacting to the allegations, the Borno State APC Chairman, Bukar Dalori, said in a statement yesterday that the violence in Maiduguri was planned and funded by the immediate past governor, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, 24 hours before Buhari’s arrival for the presidential campaigns.

   According to the statement, “when the APC was making preparations to receive Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, for nearly three days, Sheriff kept holding meetings with different youth supporters of the PDP, who brandished all manner of weapons every day they were guests to Sheriff. 

   “Sheriff kept sharing money to these thugs before he left Maiduguri on Sunday at about 4:10p.m. Immediately Sheriff left Maiduguri, we suspected that he was up to some mischief and from our investigations, his discussion with most of his political thugs was for them to disguise as supporters of APC and seriously disrupt Buhari’s rally to the extent that confusion would spring up and Buhari would be forced not to appear at the rally.”

 Nollywood stars were also not left behind, with Patience Ozokwor, Kanayo O Kanayo, Segun Arinze, Chinedu Ikedieze, as well as Francis Duru, Chika Okpala (alias Chief Zebrudaya) and Monalisa Chinda equally gracing the occasion.