President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed deep shock over the reported death of some Nigerians following a stampede at the presidential campaign rally of the All Progressive Congress, APC, held at the Jolly Nyame Stadium in Taraba State on Thursday.
A statement by the senior special assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, noted that Buhari “expressed profound sadness over loss of lives at the Presidential Campaign Rally.
Buhari is seeking re-election in the presidential election scheduled to hold on February 16. He has 72 opponents, including a former vice president, Atiku Abubakar.
“President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed profound sadness over loss of lives at the All Progressives Congress, APC Presidential Campaign Rally in Jalingo, Taraba State on Thursday,” Garba said in the statement.
Reacting to reports of the tragic death of some APC supporters due to the overwhelming crowd at the Jolly Nyame Stadium, the President said:
“I always feel very sad and distressed when ordinary Nigerians who love me and our party because of what we stand for and have done, make personal sacrifices by taking the pains to show their support, end their lives tragically.”
While appreciating the massive support he is receiving all over the country, President Buhari calls for restraint on the part of his supporters to avoid such tragic incidences, and improved crowd management at rally grounds.
“I want them to stay alive and witness the dividends of purposeful governance that the APC administration will unfold when they renew our mandate,” he said.
Commiserating with the families of the victims and the APC family, the President prays Almighty God to grant peace to the souls of the departed and speedy recovery to the injured.
