Police in Jigawa State have allegedly disrupted the flag off of the North West PDP zonal campaign in Gumel town of the state. The police allegedly dispersed the crowd after throwing canisters of teargas at the venue of the zonal campaign. Stern looking policemen were strategically positioned after using their vehicles to barricade the Maigatari road which led to the venue of the rally.
Addressing party faithful, yesterday, after they reassembled at a different venue along Hadejia road, the leader of the party and former governor of the state, Sule Lamido, said the Police Commissioner, Bala Zama Senchi, called them in the morning informing them of the decision of the police to withdraw the approval earlier given for the flag off campaign.
Contacted, Senchi said the police did not stop the PDP from conducting their rally in Gumel, adding that they only told them to look for another venue as the proposed venue was near a market.
He said conducting political gathering by the market could give room for miscreants to hijack the occasion and create chaos in the town. Senchi said his men had to disperse the PDP faithful because they refused to adhere to the instruction given to them.
According to Lamido, the CP told them that Gumel, being a Nigeria/Niger border town, there were possibilities for Boko Haram elements and members of the Shiites group to take advantage of the occasion to unleash terror in the town.
Lamido, however, assured the mammoth crowd that the party was still firm on its decision to hold the flag off rally and assured that they would go back to the town for the purpose of same event.
“I am assuring you that we will come back to Gumel for the formal flag off of our zonal campaign. Forward our apology to the Emir of Gumel for our inability to pay homage to him. Let him know we had wanted to come but police stopped us,” he said.
