Three persons injured, vehicles smashed after Atiku’s Gombe campaign
No fewer than three persons on Monday sustained various degrees of injuries in a clash involving Kalare boys and supporters of Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who was in Gombe, for his presidential campaign.
In the process, three persons were injured, three vehicles; a bus, a car and one Keke NAPEP windshield were smashed as they were ambushed along Pantami stadium road.
Confirming the clash by Kalare boys with supporters after the campaign, Usman Muritala, the Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said he was not aware since he was not included in the campaign planning.
“I was not on the podium and was only there as an official of the party so I sat like every other person to watch the whole show. There is a division in the party, a very big one,” he said.
Our Correspondent reports that trouble began after Abubakar, had left with his entourage through gate number two of Pantami stadium for Bauchi.
The Kalare boys armed with cutlass, swords, clubs and other dangerous weapons pounced on innocent party supporters who were on way to their respective residences.
The police who were manning the gate number one of the stadium quickly dispersed a detachment of armed policemen to the second gate to provide security for supporters who were rushing back into the stadium for safety.
Many supporters were stranded at the Pantami Stadium waiting for the police to restore peace and order as the Kalare boys blocked the route to Pantami market and Government House attacking passersby.
Some PDP women supporters have to attach themselves with police vans to avoid being attacked by the thugs.
When contacted the Police Public Relations Officer ASP Mahid Abubakar, said he was in a workshop and could not confirm the clash.
Abubakar, “I have not been able to gather anything for now because I’m in a course in Adamawa, as soon as I do I will contact you.”
Speaking earlier, the Presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku, promised to revitalise Gombe, as the centre of the North-East, stressing that it deserved to be more prosperous with special emphasis on empowerment and construction of roads.
He said, “As far as I’m concerned Gombe is home coming is my own home. Let me reiterate the promises we have made if by the grace of God, by your support, we promise that we will empower Gombe. Gombe naturally is a business centre in the North-East, we promise to empower your business men to expand their businesses so that they can create more jobs for our young men and women.
“We also promise that the Dadinkowa dam which was built by the PDP government to provide electricity and irrigation is reactivated for both to be made available in the North-East. We also promise that if you support us to elect a PDP government we will make sure all the roads linking Gombe with Adamawa, Borno, Yobe, Bauchi are reconstructed for the purposes of enhancing trade and commerce.”
