The convoy of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign team and the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) clashed on Saturday at Dei Dei market.
City News learnt that no casualty was recorded but several vehicles in the APC’s convoy and that of PDP supporters were set ablaze.
Security operatives, however, intervened to disperse the angry supporters.
A witness, Abdullahi Kabiru, said the incident happened around 4:53 pm when the FCT APC campaign train led by the party’s chairman, Alhaji Abdulmalik Usman and the presidential campaign director general in charge of FCT, Alhaji Musa Yahaya Mohammad, were on their way to pay homage to the Chief of Jiwa.
He said the APC team ran into a PDP campaign event at Dei Dei market on the way to the Palace of Sarkin Jiwa in Jiwa district.
Supporters of the PDP were chanting Atiku/Obi and displaying the posters of the duo and other candidates of the party, when the supporters of APC got angry and insisted that the PDP supporters must pave way for the convoy of the APC to pass.
He said the vehicles which were also conveying all the APC national assembly candidates and the chairman of Bwari, Musa Dikko, were forced to make a u -turn, saying some of the thugs started hurling stones on the convoy and in the process set some vehicles behind ablaze.
Crises ensued as vehicles of both parties and other passersby were damaged, but the police shot sporadically to disperse the mob.
Commenting, the APC publicity Secretary Usman Adagi said about 20 APC supporters were injured while 11 vehicles were damaged.
He, however, said the clash was not between the APC and PDP supporters but hoodlums around the market.
“We are for peace. We were on peaceful campaign going from chief to chief to canvass for votes. We met PDP supporters coming out of the market and our convoy stopped.
Also commenting, the FCT PDP secretary, Bako Angulu, said none of the PDP supporters or members were involved in the attack.
He said majority of the party’s supporters had joined the campaign train of Senator Philip Aduda, to Bwari.
“I am surprised when some people said it was supporters that attacked the APC convoy which was not true because our supporters joined Aduda campaign team to Bwari, “ he said.
