There have been counter-accusations between the gubernatorial candidature of People’s Democratic Party PDP governor Darius Ishaku of Taraba state and the state gubernatorial candidate of All Progressive Congress APC Sani Abubaka Danladi over the attack on APC campaign trail in Wukari local government area in Taraba state.
The campaign train of the APC gubernatorial candidate in Taraba state Sani Danladi was attacked today in Wukari, the headquarters of Wukari local government area in Taraba state by some angry youths believe to be political thugs.
The attack left over 10 vehicles burnt beyond recognition, several people injured while many people on the campaign convoy were reported missing as at the time of the report.
While reacting to the development, the senior special assistant to governor Darius Ishaku on Media and publicity Bala Danhabu deny the involvement of his boss in the Wukari attack.
Danhabu who debunk the accusations on the governor for sponsoring an attack on the APC campaign train said governor Darius Ishaku recently sign a peace accord among other political candidates in the state to maintain peaceful campaign and subsequent violent free polls.
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He further said the governor was in Wukari on Tuesday (yesterday) to push for peace among the people of the state to leave in peace therefore, he could not descend low to sponsor any attack on any political candidate in the state to rubbish the hard earn peace he has been yearning for since he resume office as the governor of Taraba state.
“The attack was necessitated by the invasion of Wukari today by the gubernatorial candidate of APC with political thugs causing a break down of law and order in the town.
” This is a case of political thuggery between the APC and its aggrieved members of the United Democratic Party UDP.
“We have imposed 6 am to 6 pm curfew in Wukari and it’s environs to prevent break down of law and order till further notice.
The governor urged the people to be law abiding and to cooperate with the law enforcement agencies in order to avoid further deterioration of the security situation in the area.
The incident occurred when Danladi, who is currently on a campaign tour of the Southern zone of the state alongside the Nigerian Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago Alj. Hasan Ardo and other APC supporters were on their way to Ibi local government area and his convoy ran into the youths in their numbers who barricaded the Ibi roundabout area of Wukari on his route.
The youths who were armed with dangerous weapons opened fire on the convoy allegedly injuring several persons and subsequently burnt down about ten vehicles while looting personal belongings of the occupants who had fled for dear lives.
As at the time of this report, the whereabouts of the APC governorship candidate and the Ambassador could not be ascertained as some of the persons on the convoy had escaped to the police area command in Wukari.
The spokesperson of the APC in the state Mr Aaron Artimas who was at the scene of the incident said that it was a well-organised attack orchestrated by the PDP government in the state.
Artimas said that “while we were on our way to Wukari, we got information that the Chairman of Wukari local government area Mr Adi Daniel allegedly sponsored some youths to burn down APC billboards and facilities in the area. So it is not surprising that they have taken their frustration to this extent of organizing the youths to attack our convoy and attempt to assassinate the Ambassador and our governorship candidate.
He further confirmed that about ten vehicles in the convoy were looted and burnt down and several others vandalized and looted.
Efforts to get the Divisional Police Officer in Wukari to comment on the issue were abortive as tension was too high at the time of this report
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