Stones and shoes were used in attacking the dignitaries,
including Bello Masari, governor of Katsina state; Abu Ibrahim, senator
representing Katsina south, and Amiru Tukur, member representing Bakori/Danja
in the house of representatives on Saturday.
According to NAN, the politicians were mobbed at a political
event organised by the state chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) in
Funtua.
It took combined teams of security personnel to rescue
notable politicians who came under attack.
Some vehicles in the entourage of the governor were smashed
by irate youths while security personnel had to use tear-gas to disperse the
crowds.
The event was a rally for accepting defectors from the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) and
the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) and other parties.
However, it ended abruptly.
Trouble started when some youths started chanting ‘Bamaso
Abu Ibrahim’ (We don’t want Senator Abu Ibrahim) and then started throwing
stones and shoes at dignitaries and entertainers invited to perform at the
event.
Tukur suffered injury while Ibrahim, along with some of his
aides and supporters, who were trying to rescue the senator, were also
assaulted.
Before proceedings descended into chaos, Masari had urged
party members to promote the party’s manifesto.
The governor reiterated his administration’s commitment to
giving proactive leadership that would turn around things for the better in the
state.
He said the government would ensure increased investments in
education, health, water supply, agriculture among other areas.
In his remark, the Katsina state chairman of the APC, Shitu
Shitu, said thousands of people were trooping to the party based on its
achievements, adding that similar rally was organised in Dutsi local government
for Katsina north senatorial zone recently.
He assured the new members of fair treatment in the party
affairs.
Speaking on behalf of those who defected, a former chairman
of Malumfashi local government area, Mansur Banki, said he led more than 5,000
persons to join the APC from the PDP because of the good programmes of
President Muhammadu Buhari and Masari.
This story first appeared on The Cable
