Governor orders probe of violence at APC presidential rally

Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule has ordered an investigation into the conduct of security agencies and suspects during the violent disruption of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign rally in Lafia, the state capital, on Wednesday.

The governor gave the directive on Thursday during an expanded State Executive Council meeting at the Government House, Lafia, following the clash that reportedly left about 40 people injured.

In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media Affairs, Ali Abare, Governor Sule questioned the circumstances surrounding the use of tear gas at the rally, particularly around the podium.

He described the incident as embarrassing and unacceptable, especially given the presence of the vice president, who attended the rally on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“The embarrassment was not to the state or the Presidential Campaign Council alone. It was an embarrassment to the Vice President on behalf of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. That is the reason why we cannot take it lightly,” he said.

The governor directed security agencies to invite and question everyone suspected of having a role in the incident, irrespective of their previous positions or status.

He insisted that the investigation should go beyond arresting a few suspected youths, stressing that those who allegedly planned, sponsored, or masterminded the disruption must also be identified and held accountable.

“We cannot, at the end of the day, after having such an embarrassment, just go and arrest five or six Almajiris and say that is the end of it. It will not work.

The people responsible for this must be called to order,” he stated.

Governor Sule also expressed concern over reports that some individuals had allegedly planned to disrupt the rally before it took place.

He further cited the reported attack on the Vice President’s convoy and the throwing of an object suspected to be a shoe towards the podium where Shettima and other governors were standing.

He warned against allowing political disagreements to degenerate into violence, cautioning that such developments could threaten peace and stability in the state.

“I don’t want us to behave like them. If we behave like them, believe me, the state will become ungovernable.

While commending the military, the State Security Service (SSS) and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) for their intervention during the incident, Mr Sule said he convened the meeting to ensure that all concerns surrounding the violence were properly presented before further action was taken.

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Earlier, the state government had linked former governor and senator, Umaru Al-Makura, as well as the Social Democratic Party (SDP) governorship candidate and former Inspector-General of Police, Adamu Abubakar, to the violence.

In a separate statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Labaran Magaji, the state government described the incident as an ignoble act allegedly perpetrated by some irate youths suspected of having connections with prominent personalities.

The government called for accountability over the incident, which disrupted the APC presidential campaign rally and raised concerns about political violence and security management in the state.