Gombe PDP Insists APC-led administration sponsored billboard vandals
Gombe Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Governorship Candidate Jibrin Barde, has insisted that his billboards outside the campaign office were destroyed by irate youths sponsored by the governing All Progressives Congress APC.
Disclosing this at the campaign secretariat Ayuba Aluke, the Spokesman of Barde Campaign Organisation said the APC-led administration has become jittery of its support base.
Aluke disclosed that the Muhammadu Yahaya’s government has re-introduced thuggery which the past government formed by the PDP tried to eliminate.
He said, “The spate of attack has become incessant particularly on campaign paraphernalia of the PDP has been increasing with time in Gombe State and all this while the PDP as a party has remained calm and has appealed to its supporters not to take the laws into their hands.
“Today, our position is not different from the positions that we have always maintained we are appealing to sympathisers of PDP to hold their peace and remain calm not to take the laws into their hands.
“The PDP right from the time of Dr. Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo put an end to thuggery and activities of political violence. It is on record what the former Governor has done to put to check political thuggery in Gombe State, unfortunately, we are beginning to witness the resurgence of this activities.”
While lamenting previous attacks, Aluke urged party supporters not to despair but to remain resolute.
“Based on available records this is about the third time that the campaign offices have been touched and it being happening and we have been complaining to authorities concerned and it has continued to happen.
“The PDP has remained calm and has not reacted to this is not anyway suggesting that we are not concerned or afraid. We are sons and daughters of Gombe State, no body can intimate the PDP as a party, no amount of violence or destruction that will be meted on our campaign paraphernalia or offices that will deter us from what we are doing.
“We believe that the attacks are attempt by the losing party by people desperate to hold on to power knowing that power is slipping out of their hands they are bent on initiating violence so that we will not have free and fair election in Gombe State,” Aluke added.
Meanwhile, Special Adviser to the Governor on Information Management and Strategy Ahmed Shuaibu Gara-Gombe, dismissed insinuations that the vandals were sponsored by the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He said, “The Governor of Gombe State Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya has nothing to do with the incident of destruction of Bill Boards of the people Democratic Party or any of its Candidates.
“It is premature to aportion blame as the Police and other security agencies are investigating the incident.
“Inuwa Yahaya style of opposition is non violent,he is a decent politician therefore anyone looking for who to blame should look elsewhere but not Inuwa Yahaya.”
He disclosed the various efforts of the governor towards ensuring peaceful co-existence throughout the campaign, during the election and after.
“Governor Inuwa Yahaya has repeatedly directed the Commissioner of police,Other Security agencies and the Commissioner for Internal Security to ensure that all Democratic institutions and structures are safe in Gombe state and also to deal with any form of Violence in our Road map towards a peaceful Elections in 2023.
“The Governor calls on all Citizens to be law abiding as he will do eveything possible to Protect them,” Gara-Gombe added.