• Tinubu promises end to criminality if elected

• Remain steadfast, don’t despair –Buhari

• PDP sowed the seed of current woes – Masari

 

 

David Arin, Jos; ‘Seun Ibukun-Oni, Abuja

 

DAILY COURIER – The presidential campaign rally of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Katsina State on Monday was scaled down to a prayer session over a recent murder of over 100 people in Bakori Local Government Area of the state by bandits.

 

Apart from scaling down the number of participants at the rally, which had President Muhammadu Buhari in attendance, the event was conducted in a sober atmosphere at the Muhammadu Dikko Stadium.

 

Party leaders such as the APC Presidential Candidate Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Katsina State Governor Aminu Bello Masari and Chairman of Progressive Governors’ Forum and Kebbi State Governor Atiku Bagudu told attendees at the event that there were debates on whether to postpone the rally outright in view of the mournful atmosphere.

 

“We decided to go on because some people are already here and it will be disappointing for them to come without getting to see the President and Asiwaju. But we are here to condole with you. We will be back,” said Governor Bagudu.

 

In his speech, President Buhari said despite inheriting a poorly managed country, his administration has done well in turning the fortunes of the party.

 

He condoled the people of Katsina over the banditry attack, urging them to remain courageous and hopeful in order to defeat terror.

 

Asiwaju Tinubu saluted those who summoned courage to attend the rally in spite of the sorrowful situation, as he expressed condolences to the government and people of Katsina State.

 

He assured the Katsina electorate of working hard to eliminate banditry in the state.

 

“We will definitely deal with them. They will not go scot-free. Whether they derive some moment of joy or satisfaction, we are saying we are courageous, we are strong, we believe in Allah and we will defeat them. They are evil. We will eliminate them,” he said.

 

Tinubu also gave kudos to members of security establishment, assuring them that their sacrifice would be rewarded.

 

He charged participants not to allow what he called “Poverty Development Party” to come back to power. “No to PDP, no to evil, no to killers,” he chanted along with the crowd.

 

In his opening remarks, Katsina State Governor Masari warned Nigerians not to trust PDP with power again.

 

“They had the opportunity. They didn’t do anything meaningful and now they want to deceive. Don’t fall for their sugar-coated words,” he said.

 

The APC National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu and Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong urged Katsina electorate to queue behind President Buhari to support the APC presidential candidate and other candidates.

 

 

Those killed, including members of the local vigilante, are from communities under Guga, Kakumi, Kandarawa and Jargaba wards of Bakori local government area, one of the areas worst hit by the gory activities of terrorists in the state.

 

Already, the bloody attack that claimed scores of lives has left the communities in great anguish and fear since, as many are still praying fervently for the return of their missing loved once.

 

A community leader of Guga, Mahadi Guga, who confirmed the burial of 72 bodies retrieved from the bush, told LEADERSHIP that the attack claimed about 102 lives.

 

Guga said, “We independently have about 102 numbers of people that were affected in our community, but the actual figure that people will tell you is 72, which we have buried with our hands. There are those who are still missing.

 

“We are now in great fear and tension since the incident happened. We are more vulnerable than ever. The government came and sympathised with us as usual and promised to investigate the matter”.

 

The community leader further urged the government to rise to its responsibility of protecting lives and property of the people, especially those living in the rural area.

 

He proposed that if need be, the government should dialogue with the bandits and the communities for lasting peace in the area.

 

Since the Katsina Police Command confirmed the death of 41 there has not been any further update on the attack despite efforts made to get the police spokesman, Gambo Isah, to speak.

 

A state government delegation led by the secretary to the state government, Muntali Lawal, visited the affected communities and condole with the families of the victims and their community leaders over the ugly incident

 

The delegation also visited some affected villages and assured the families of the state government’s commitment to conduct a thorough investigation on the matter.

 

It also promised to set up a committee, with two representatives from each of the affected communities, to work out plans on how relief materials would be distributed to families of the victims.

 

Katsina rally was attended by many party big wigs, governors, members of the National Assembly and former governors.

 

Among those in attendance were Vice Presidential Candidate, Senator Kashim Shettima, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, Governors Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna), Babagana Zulum (Borno), Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq (Kwara), Abubakar Sani Bello (Niger), Mohammed Badaru Abubakar (Jigawa), Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano), Abubakar Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi) and Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos).

 

Others were Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed; Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika; Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Sadiya Umar Farooq, former Governor of Borno, Ali Modu Sheriff and a former governor of Bauchi State, Mohammed Abubakar, among others.