Kaduna State Governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero today led thugs to destroy billboards of General Muhammadu Buhari and Malam Nasir El-Rufai in Barkin Ruwa and Kabala West Junction of Kaduna, the state capital. When residents demanded explanations for the vandalism, they were attacked and beaten by the thugs. Yero was in the motorcade as his goons attacked persons and property with a ferocity that reportedly claimed lives.
Earlier in the day, there were reports of clashes between the governor’s entourage and the Rigasa community in the course of the campaigns. After exiting Rigasa, the Yero’s train proceeded to unleash mayhem in Barkin Ruwa and Kabala West junction. The thugs also looted shops in the area.
The Kaduna State APC Governorship candidate, Malam Nasir El-Rufai has been warning for weeks that the PDP government has chosen a strategy of violence as the best guarantee against their imminent defeat in the February 2015 elections. Last week, thugs attacked APC supporters and campaign vehicles in the Badiko area of Kaduna.
As tension mounted, we suspend our campaign tour of Zone 2, which is Kaduna Central with Kaduna city as its hub. The APC predicated its decision on the need to preserve peace by avoiding a clash with the PDP presidential rally slated for last Saturday. The party also asked its supporters to avoid Kaduna streets to frustrate attempts to provoke them and shoot them at sight.
Furthermore, the APC shifted its campaign to Southern Kaduna earlier than planned to deny the PDP a pretext for violence. As a party, the APC acted responsibly to preserve the peace.
As reported in the media, the PDP presidential rally failed with many of the attendees chanting for Buhari and El-Rufai. It seems that Yero is visiting his wrath at that embarrassment on the innocent citizens who continue to do their utmost to reject provocation.
Yero, at his campaign launch last month, publicly threatened violence against Malam El-Rufai, including boasting that he could use his powers to demolish El-Rufai’s house or prevent him from even entering Kaduna at all.
We are calling on INEC and the security agencies to firmly stop Yero from upsetting the peace and turning Kaduna into a theatre of war. Election is a civilised contest and we cannot allow Yero to turn his impending defeat into an inferno for everyone.