PDP, APC Trade Words Over Violence In Kaduna

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kaduna State, North West Nigeria, are trading blames over recent violent attacks and killings in the state.

This is coming despite the peace accord signed by political parties in Nigeria to shun all acts of violence ahead of the forthcoming elections.

The Campaign Organisation of the PDP governorship candidate and incumbent Governor of Kaduna State, Mukhtar Yero, raised an alarm on Thursday, over growing victimization of its supporters allegedly by APC thugs in some parts of the state.

The group alleged that some people working for the opposition party were destroying campaign vehicles, posters and billboards belonging to the PDP in the state.

Spokesman of the Yero Campaign Organisation, Yakubu Lere, told reporters at a news conference that members of APC were behind the recent attacks on the Governor’s campaign train in Birnin-Gwari, Kubau, Igabi and Lere Local Government Areas of the state.

He also stated that hired thugs of the APC governorship candidate in the state, Nasir El-Rufai, had been using intimidation and blackmail to stop people from campaigning for the PDP ahead of the elections.

Lere further called on the APC candidate and the party leadership to caution their members from attacking PDP supporters, stressing that they should allow the wish of the people to prevail.

He pointed that the APC is desperate to clinch power at all cost, adding that the opposition party is afraid of Governor Yero’s wide acceptability by the people across the state.

In a swift reaction, the Spokesman for the APC governorship candidate, Samuel Aruwan, described PDP’s allegation of violence as baseless and false, stating that it was the PDP that is guilty of growing provocation.

He said that the PDP, being the ruling party, is using all apparatus of power at its disposal to victimize the opposition.

As accusations continue, the State Police Command has warned that it would deal with any person or group found in any political violence before, during and after the elections.

The State Commissioner of Police, Umar Shehu, in an interview with the media, said that several people had been arrested and would be arraigned for various offences.

He advised political parties and their candidates to play the game according to the rules."