Ambassador, gubernatorial candidate, others escape death at Taraba APC rally

Ambassador to the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Alhaji Ardo Jika; governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Sani Danladi; and others narrowly escaped death at the campaign rally of Taraba APC yesterday in Ibi Council.They were reportedly attacked in Wukari Council by some youths who mobbed the convoy of the governorship candidate.

The Guardian gathered that Danladi is on campaign tour of Taraba south.The youths, who were reportedly armed, were said to have opened fire on the convoy and set several vehicles ablaze.APC spokesperson in Taraba, Aaron Artimas, accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of orchestrating the attack.

“While we were on our way to Wukari, we got information that the chairman of the council allegedly sponsored some youths to burn all our billboards and other APC facilities in the area,” he alleged.

The governorship candidate agreed with Artimas, adding that he escaped by the whiskers.But PDP has denied the allegations, stating that the leadership of the APC wanted to create a scene to attract sympathyAccording to the PDP image-maker, Alhaji Inuwa Bakari, the APC governorship candidate “is not on the ground”, adding that the party just wanted to smear the name of PDP.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), David Misal, told The Guardian: “We are aware that the convoy of the APC governorship candidate for Taraba was blocked by some youths in Wukari.”He added that the command was not aware of the youths being PDP members.We learnt that more policemen had been drafted to the area to maintain order.