Bauchi youths stone minister, others at Jonathan’s rally

There was pandemonium on Thursday at the
Ibrahim Babangida Square, Venue of the Peoples
Democratic Party presidential campaign rally in
Bauchi as angry youths pelted dignitaries at the
event with dangerous objects like hammer, stones
and slippers among other things.
The youths, whose source of grievances could not
be immediately ascertained, destroyed some of the
canopies and plastic chairs.
The ‘supporters’, who had, before the arrival of
President Goodluck Jonathan and his entourage,
chanted solidarity songs for the President and the
PDP and marched round the venue with their
drums and placards with the President’s picture,
became unruly during the programme and began
pelting dignitaries on the stand.
Security operatives had a tough time dispersing
the restless supporters, who had stormed the
square in large in large number.
A similar incident occurred on Monday when
Governor Isa Yuguda and other dignitaries were
stoned at the PDP governorship campaign rally at
the Darazo mini-stadium by angry youths believed
to be supporters of the opposition All Progressives
Congress.
The FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed, was
pelted with bottled and sachet water while he was
making his speech and pleading with the people of
the state to vote for and support Jonathan and the
PDP during next month’s general elections.
Other dignitaries, who were on the stand with the
FCT minister while he was making his speech,
were also stoned. Others bent down to avoid being
hit by any of the missiles.
The minister paused for some seconds to wipe off
water from his face.
Mohammed called on the President and other
dignitaries to ignore the ugly turn of events,
alleging that it was the handwork of the opposition.
“Fellow supporters of PDP, lets ignore what is
happening. This is politics. It is the handwork of
those who are bent on destroying politics in
Nigeria,” he added.
When he shouted, “Nigeria”, the crowd shouted
back “sai Buhari”, “sai Baba Buhari”, others
chanted “Bama yi,” “Bama yi”, meaning we don’t
support PDP.
All throughout the rally, which was very brief,
youths chanted their support for the opposition
APC presidential candidate, Maj. Gen Muhammad
Buhari, saying “Nigeria, sai Buhari.”