A former chairman of the Ushongu local government area in Benue state, Asawa Joe, says he was physically assaulted for wearing an Atiku-branded shirt at Governor Samuel Ortom’s senatorial rally on Tuesday, November 29.
In a viral video, Asawa, who said he is a member of the Atiku Grassroot Movement in Benue state, said he decided to show up when he got information that Governor Ortom would flag off his campaign in Gboko.
“I was given the beating of my life at this PDP zonal campaign rally, and we are not known for violence which is marking the flag-off of our governor’s senatorial campaign rally. So we got the information that the governor would flag off his campaign in Gboko today.
“I am a member of the Atiku Grassroot Movement in Benue State, and when we got this information, we felt that this is a PDP function and it is an opportunity for us to come and showcase the might of PDP in Gboko. So we mobilised our members because we got the information that various PDP associations are going to be here, and we sensitised our people, and we brought them here. So we went in.
“When I came here, I entered inside and went to exchange pleasantries with the high table because I’m the immediate past chairman of Ushongu Local Government and I am deeply involved in this PDP activities and we are told that in Benue, PDP is from the bottom to top and that is the message our PDP national chairman has been preaching, and that is the message that the governor himself has been preaching and all of a sudden we came here with the belief that we are going to make PDP proud. When we came here little did we know, and I did not even have foresight that there would be a change of message with attitude.
“Those who approached me said who sent me here and who asked me to put on this shirt? This is the shirt that they beat and torn (sic) away, and they said haven’t I got the instruction that they did not want to see anything like PDP here. That is what I heard from them, they started descending on me, beating me with irons, their legs, their hands, boxing me left and right.
“There were over 50 people punching me, it was one youth leader in Gboko here, Shawa Uge, who is the man who saved my life.”
“Thank God! Just regained consciousness at a hospital now. Was beaten to a coma.