Posted by By ABDULLAHI SHU'ABU, Lafia, on
The All Nigerian People's Party (ANPP) presidential candidate in the April 2007 elections, General Muhammadu Buhari yesterday escaped death by whiskers in Lafia, Nasarawa State when coming out of the Governorship Election Tribunal venue.
The All Nigerian People's Party (ANPP) presidential candidate in the April 2007 elections, General Muhammadu Buhari yesterday escaped death by whiskers in Lafia, Nasarawa State when coming out of the Governorship Election Tribunal venue.
The incident occurred at about 2.00pm when General Buhari, in company of his host, Barrister Solomon Ewuga and other top ANPP chieftains were attacked while coming out from the tribunal venue. The SUV which Buhari and Ewuga were being driven was hit with stones and other dangerous weapons. Both Buhari and his entourage where, however, unhurt.
The policemen who were at the tribunal venue watched helplessly as the youths who were suspected to be PDP supporters freely hurled stones and other dangerous weapons at the former head state's vehicle.
Security men attached to Buhari were able to recover a matchete that one of the hoodlums wanted to use in attacking the General.
In what would have been a mob attack, policemen had to shoot into the air to disperse them, thereby facilitating an escape chance for General Buhari and others.
Efforts by Saturday Sun to get Buhari at Ewuga resident in Akwanga, to speak on the ugly development shortly after the attack, was however, unsuccessful. He was terse in his reply. 'A matter of this nature can be tackled by our governorship candidate, Chief Solomon Ewuga as everyone has his own role to play."
On the ongoing case at the tribunal, General Buhari expressed optimism that justice will take its own course, pointing out that 'what the judiciary has been doing over the years clearly shows that it is the last hope of the common man."
Buhari said he had been going round the country to ensure that anywhere there was an ANPP case, he attends it.
No arrest was made as at the time of filling this report, and the police authorities in Lafia could not be reached for comment.
Meanwhile, tribunal Chairman, Justice Rita Pemu, has admitted a video cassette recorded by NTA Lafia, during the last governorship election as exhibit, where it displayed some irregularities involving a political party in Keana Local Government Area. A witness, Jibril Sabo Keana told the tribunal that there was no election in Keana on April 14th 2007.