LAFIA (Nigeria) – The Campaign Organisation of Maku, has condemned an attack on the convoy of its candidate Labaran Maku, by whom it called hired political thugs chanting the name of APC’s Presidential Candidate, Muhammadu Buhari.

Maku’s convoy was attacked Friday in Marraraba, near Abuja, while on tour of the state in continuation of his campaign, preparatory to the governorship elections scheduled to hold on April 11.

Mr. Maku, former Nigeria Minister of Information, is the gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) in Nasarawa State, North Central Nigeria.

Five weeks ago, a similar attack was made on the convoy of Maku at Kwanderre, the hometown of incumbent Sate Governor, Tanko Almakura.

A statement by the Director Publicity of Maku Campaign Organisation, Zakari Edego says “the APC thugs, who apparently must have staged an ambush, descended on the convoy under the Marraraba Overhead Pedestrian Bridge with stones, sticks and bottles.

“Scores of people on the convoy and bystanders were unfortunately injured in the attack while the windscreen of several vehicles were smashed.”

Maku is contesting for the seat under APGA platform, but “his widespread and effective campaign for the reelection of President Goodluck Jonathan has continued to attract the anger of APC supporters in the state who see him as the threat to both the incumbent governor, Tanko Almakura and General Muhammadu Buhari in the coming governorship and presidential elections.

Mr. Maku has carried President Jonathan’s campaign to all areas of Nasarawa state in recent months to the extent that he is generally seen as the lead campaigner for the reelection of the president in the state.” Says Edego

The All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) had adopted President Jonathan as its presidential candidate in the March 28 presidential election.

Speaking to journalists at Karu after the attack on his convoy, Mr. Maku condemned the increasing intolerance and violence shown by APC supporters particularly in the Northern part of the country.

He said Nasarawa State had descended into insurgency, which led to the destruction of many communities since the inception of the Almakura administration.

Maku urged his supporters not to retaliate so as not to divert attention from the real issue in the campaign which was to restore peace to Nasarawa after years of violence and destruction under the APC rule.

The Guber candidate however, warned that the current violence by APC and Buhari supporters pointed to the kind of violence that led to the post-election violence in the northern part of the country in 2011 where innocent people lost their lives after President Jonathan won the elections.

He implored that APC should call their supporters to order and peace should be the mantra of all political parties at all costs in this election.

The former Information Minister said APGA supporters should demonstrate exemplary conduct and focus on the issues destroying Nasarawa state and come together as one and peacefully to ensure the exit of Governor Tanko Almakura at the upcoming elections on April 11th.

Mr. Maku called on the people to vote massively for President Jonathan for the continuation of the transformation that was started under the president’s leadership.

Mr. Maku is generally seen as the lead candidate for the governorship because of the mass defections from the APC and PDP since he emerged as the candidate of APGA.

By Mohammed Ibrahim

KADUNA (Nigeria) – All Progressive Congress (APC) Governorship Candidate in Kaduna State, Northwest Nigeria, Nasir El-Rufai has accused Governor Muktar Ramalan Yero of breaching peace accord and using religion to gain more popularity in his campaign.

Speaking through his spokesperson, Samuel Aruwan, El-Rufai said the Governor was not interested in the peace accord signed by gubernatorial candidates in the State – only paying lip service on sustainable peace, but manipulating religion to gain more votes.

“We are here to let the people of the state know that the state government is not interested in peace, they are already breaching the peace accord signed under the auspice of the state commissioner of police. Going by our activities, you will agree with me that our campaign has been based on issues unlike that of the ruling party.

“The state government now are running a very dangerous religious campaign. They are at present inciting religious sentiments in the state in order to tarnish the good name of Malam El-Rufai. They are presently circulating text under the name Breaking news and pamphlets in churches against us.

He cautioned people of Southern Kaduna against being used as a milking cow, to keep producing votes for PDP in every election, without corresponding development in the area, saying since the return of democracy in 1999, each Local Government Area in the Southern part of the State has received over a billion-naira allocation but none can boast of meaningful development.

El-Rufai lamented the campaign of calumny and assured that APC, if elected into office would not embark on demolishing people’s houses as propagated by the government in power to scare away voters from electing the party.

“We are not bothered with that because we are Kaduna State indigenes and we know the history of the state. We know that the state is sinking and dwindling. They just need to stop inciting people if not they will end up setting the state on fire,” he said.

But in a reaction, Ahmed Maiyaki, Spokesman of Kaduna State Governor said, the allegations by APC is a clear sign of imminent defeat of a sinking ship, calling on people of Kaduna State to disregard the allegations and go about their lawful businesses without fear of intimidation.

“We view the recent accusations of using religious groups and violence to be a desperate reaction of the APC as a sinking ship that is destined for defeat in the next general elections. The APC cannot deceive the entire people of Kaduna State who have appreciated the effort by Governor Yero to sustain peace and development of the state.

We wonder how the APC can accuse Governor Yero of trying to breach peace in a state that he has worked so hard to stabilise in the last two years. A man can surely not destroy a house that he has laboured to protect for so long and which he is still a shepherd.”

He assured that Governor Yero remained committed to peaceful conduct of all elections as the Chief Security Officer of the state.