Fred Itua, Abuja
Supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Saturday evening, clashed in Abuja. Although no casualty was recorded, several vehicles in both the convoy of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr. Mohammad Bello, and PDP were badly damaged by warring supporters. It took the intervention of security operatives to disperse the angry supporters.
The violent clash occurred in the popular Dei Dei Market in Abuja.
Trouble started when the convoy of the minister 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 and supporters of APC were infuriated and insisted that the PDP supporters must give way for the minister’s convoy to pass.
In a matter of seconds, violence broke out as vehicles of both parties and other passersby were vandalised, before the intervention of the police who shoot in the air to disperse the mob.
A resident of the Jiwa who did not want her name in print told newsmen that the community was a PDP stronghold until recently when Alhaji Musa, one of its chieftains, joined the APC and tried to foist the party on the people.
The minister, who was represented by his chief of staff, Mai-Borno, had taken the campaign train to Karshi and Karu districts and was moving from Jiwa to Bwari Area Council when the incident happened.
Reacting, the director-general, FCT APC Campaign Council, Musa Yahaya Mohammed, described the attack as unfortunate. He said information suggested that the attack may have been premeditated.
He was quick to dispel the notion that some PDP supporters or ethnic elements were behind the attack. He said the ugly incident would be reported to the proper quarters to forestall a recurrence.