President Jonathan,A Glimpse into the 2015 Elections,:Attacks On Jonathan Rattle PDP
The increasing spate of attacks on
President Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign train in some parts of the North is
rattling the leadership of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party.
Investigations by SUNDAY PUNCH in Abuja, on
Friday, showed that the grave situation were made worse by allegations that the
attacks had been carried out by aggrieved members of the party.
It was learnt that the situation had
prompted the President’s security team to take extra measures to protect him as
he prepared to visit Gombe, Yobe and Niger states this week.
Our correspondents also gathered that
the PDP had been further unsettled by the hot exchange of words between the
Bauchi State Governor, Isa Yuguda, and the Minister of the Federal Capital
Territory, Sen. Bala Mohammed, over the stoning of the President’s convoy in
Katsina State.
The party and the Presidency were said
to have been stunned by Yuguda’s claim that the attack on the President’s
convey was arranged by the members of the ruling party, under the supervision
of the minister.
In response, the minister accused the
governor of being an opposition mole within the ruling party. However, the
party and the Presidency were said to have intervened and made the two men to
sheathe their swords.
The National Publicity Secretary of the
party, Mr. Olisa Metuh, said the party had asked its members to be cautious of
their comments on the issue.
“It is curious and it is not a welcome
development if we have our leaders bickering in the public. We have asked them
to be wary of their comments,” Metuh said.
A party leader from one of the northern
states confided in SUNDAY PUNCH on
the level of anxiety in the party.
He said, “I will be lying if I say we
are not disturbed. The truth is that some of our brothers in the North consider
loyalty and support for General (Muhammadu) Buhari a religious obligation.
“They have resorted to intimidation and
threats, when you see things differently they come after you and your family
and burn your house. If you remember, in 2011 so many of us had our houses
burnt and some barely escaped with their lives.
“Some have not recovered from their
loss and it may be difficult for some to take that kind of risks this time
around.”
The party on Thursday lifted the
one-month suspension it placed on Tukur on December 4.
Metuh rose in defence of the party’s
decision to lift Tukur’s suspension.
He said, “Tukur’s suspension was for 30
days. Since the suspension was not extended, we needed to lift it and that was
what we did.”
Also speaking on the issue, the Deputy
National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Abdullahi Jalo, said what was
happening was a smear campaign by the opposition.
He said, “To the best of my knowledge;
no member of the PDP was involved in stoning Mr. President. Northerners,
especially our youths, respect elders. None of our members threw stones at our
President.”
Via - Punch
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