Pictorial Report: Kaduna Stands Still for Atiku

By Damola Emmanuel

Despite attempts by some hoodlums to cause mayhem and disrupt the rally, a tumultous crowd welcomed the former Vice President and presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, to Kaduna on Monday, October 17, 2022.

The Ranchers Bees Stadium, Kaduna, venue of the rally, was filled to capacity as Atiku and the PDP Presidential Campaign Council stormed the city that gave the Waziri Adamawa his highest vote in the 2019 presidential election.

According to Daily Trust, there was pandemonium at the Ranchers Bees Stadium, venue of the campaign, as hoodlums suspected to be agents of the All Progressive Congress, APC, attacked PDP loyalists at the venue. But the Kaduna State Police Command rose to the occasion as it deployed security operatives to the venue to restore order.

It was one of the best moments of the Atiku campaign so far as the capacity crowd cheered endlessly with the PDP candidate promising to revive all the industries that used to make Kaduna the industrial hub of the North but which now lie comatose.

Atiku vowed to put issues concerning Kaduna on the front burner should the people vote for him en-masse and help his way to the Presidential Villa come 2023.

“Let me thank you for your support in 2019,’ the PDP standard bearer said. “You gave me the highest number of votes in 2019 and I believe you will do so this time around. I have come here on behalf of PDP to tell you If you vote for us, we will end insecurity in Kaduna. We will revive the industries in Kaduna in partnership with the private sector of Kaduna.”

Later, the former Vice President retreated to his verified Twitter handle to respond to the attack by the suspected hired thugs at the stadium, expressing serious concern.

“I have just received emergency reports of attacks on PDP supporters by thugs sponsored to scuttle the ongoing PDP campaign rally in Kaduna State. This is undemocratic and against the Peace Accord all parties signed up for just a few weeks ago,” Atiku wrote in the tweet.

“I urge President Muhammadu Buhari to call on all parties to call their supporters and members to order and to ensure that campaigns, just as with the elections themselves, are kept free, fair, and safe.”