BY Leon Usigbe - Katsina
SECURITY forces, on Tuesday, averted what was potentially an ugly situation, as hundreds of supporters chanting ‘sai Buhari’ attacked the motorcade of President Goodluck Jonathan in Katsina.
A combined unit of soldiers and anti-riot policemen dispersed the supporters as they surged forward with the intent to attack the president and his delegation, as they visited the house of Hajia Dada, mother of the late President Umaru Yar’Adua in her residence at Yar’Adua Quarters, Katsina.
There was palpable tension as the president’s convoy drove past the area, with hundreds of Buhari supporters brandishing brooms, the APC symbol and welcoming the president with chants of “sai Buhari,” while some could be heard calling Jonathan “arna,” an unbeliever.
The president was about to emerge from the residence of Hajia Dada when the crowd suddenly started to surge towards his convoy, but the timely intervention of the security forces who fired canisters of tear gas provided cover for the convoy to speed away.
As the convoy sped towards the Katsina Airport, the crowd hurled stones at it, but nobody was hurt in the motorcade.
With the president were Vice President Namadi Sambo, national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, Governor Ibrahim Shema of Katsina State, ministers, other top members of PDP leadership, among others.
As the president’s aircraft took off for Abuja, members of his advance party staying behind were advised to hide their identity, in...
order to prevent them from being attacked by mob.
Jonathan had taken his campaign to Katsina State, telling the people that he would not have been president but for the goodwill of the people of the state.
Addressing crowd of supporters earlier at the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation camp in the state capital, he recalled how he was chosen by late former president, Yar’Adua, to be his deputy in 2007.
Jonathan, therefore, assured them that as president, he would do anything required by Katsina people, even before they asked.
“But for you, I would not have been here today. It was your own son that brought me as his deputy. Anything that you want from me, we will do it without you asking for it,” he said.
SOURCE: NIGERIA TRIBUNE
