APC, PDP Trade Blames Over Violence At Pantami’s Gombe Rally

The All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Gombe State have traded accusations following an attack on supporters and the convoy of the PDP governorship candidate, Professor Isa Ali Pantami, during his homecoming rally in the state capital.

The incident, which occurred on Wednesday, disrupted parts of the procession as suspected political thugs mounted roadblocks, set tyres ablaze and smashed the windscreens of vehicles conveying Pantami’s supporters.

The violence has triggered accusations between the two major political parties, with the PDP condemning what it described as an attack on its supporters, while the APC accused PDP supporters of destroying properties belonging to residents and its members.

Abdulkadir Ahmed Dukku, the PDP publicity secretary in the state, when speaking LEADERSHIP, condemned the attacks, describing them as barbaric, undemocratic and unacceptable.

The party said some of its supporters were assaulted during the reception organised to welcome Pantami.

It also alleged that several vehicles were vandalised and some supporters injured, calling on security agencies to investigate the incident and bring those responsible to justice.

However, in his response, his APC counterpart in the state, Usman Murtala, accused supporters of the PDP candidate of attacking residents and destroying properties, including vehicles, shops and campaign billboards.

Murtala accused Pantami’s supporters of displaying intolerance towards political opponents, warning that such conduct threatened peaceful political competition.

Meanwhile, the Gombe State Police Command has confirmed the attack on Pantami’s convoy, saying investigations were ongoing to identify those responsible.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Buhari Abdullahi, told journalists that no arrests had been made as of Thursday, adding that officers were deployed to maintain order during the procession.

He explained that some hoodlums took advantage of the movement of the crowd to barricade vehicles and attack them after the main procession had passed through the area.

The police spokesman said the command could not establish the exact number of vehicles affected because no formal complaints had been lodged at any police station.

He added that the police were also reviewing video footage circulating on social media but could not rely on it alone to determine the full extent of the damage.