Governor’s convoy attacked by party members

The convoy of the Zamfara State Governor, Abdul’aziz Yari, was on Sunday attacked by aggrieved members of his own party, APC, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.

Mr Yari, whose Zamfara State is suffering from attacks by armed bandits, is also the chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum.

Some  APC supporters attacked the governor’s convoy at Lalan Roundabout in Gusau on Sunday as he was travelling to Kaduna.

Seven aggrieved governorship hopefuls, including the deputy governor, Ibrahim Wakkala, had organised a rally in Gusau on Sunday, where a multitude of their supporters turned out to receive them.

While the rallying aspirants and their supporters were coming into town, they ran into the governor’s convoy and the irate crowd attacked the governor’s motorcade destroying glasses.

However, the quick intervention of the mobile police and governor’s security details who fired gunshots in the air, dispersed the mob.

Calm has since been restored in the state capital after the confrontation.

The exact reason for the attack is not clear but is related to selecting an APC candidate that will take over from Mr Yari whose tenure ends next year.

Mr Yari has condemned the attack on his convoy.

Mr Yari, in a statement issued on Sunday in Gusau by Ibrahim Dosara, his Special Adviser on Media and Public Enlightenment, cautioned his loyalists to desist from revenge.

“Any law-abiding citizen needs to respect the peaceful atmosphere concerning politics in Zamfara.”

The governor said that his administration had done a lot to stop loyalists and all youth, especially supporters of APC, from engaging in any activity that would endanger the peace among political associations and parties.

He urged politicians to enlighten their supporters on peace and stability in relations to all political associations and gatherings.

In his remarks, Mamuda Shikafi, a former governor of the state and one of the aspirants, said that the rally was organised to draw the attention of the party at the national level to the issue of imposition of candidates.

Mr Shinkafi said, “We will continue to be loyal to the party and governments of at all levels; however, our only concern is justice and equity to the entire citizens of the state.”

He said what was needed in the state was true democratic process that gives equal opportunity to every party member to participate.

He said no one was after the candidature of anybody but the concern was imposition of candidates by the state governor.

The seven aspirants in their separate speeches, considered direct primaries as the only way to sustain the unity of the party in the state.

They agreed that one person would finally emerge as the candidate under the platform of the party.

They underscored the need for a transparent that would lead to the choice of an acceptable candidate.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the seven aspirants are Mamuda Shinkafi, Ibrahim Wakkala, Aminu Jaji, Sagir Hamidu, Mansur Ali, Abu Magaji and Dauda Dare.