By Adebayo Olodan
President Muhammadu Buhari reportedly cancelled the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign earlier scheduled to hold in Ilorin the Kwara State capital last Wednesday due to the political violence that erupted in the state capital penultimate Sunday, National Pilot can report.
It would be recalled that two persons sustained bullet wounds, 11 others injured and about 50 cars destroyed during political attack at Agbaji, the family residence of the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki and other parts of Ilorin last weekend.
Though there were widespread reports that President Buhari may have aborted the campaign over the recent high court judgement delivered against the Bashiru Omolaja Bolarinwa-led executives, however, a top security source informed this medium, yesterday, that the event was called off in order not to heighten the political tension in the state following penultimate Sunday’s attack.
Speaking with our reporter, the source said, โThe campaign of President Muhammadu Buhari earlier scheduled to take place last week in the state was cancelled as a result of the violence that broke out in Ilorin last Sunday.
โThe Presidency does not want to heighten the political tension that has pervaded the state by coming around three days after for a campaign.
โGiven that huge crowd normally turn up anywhere the President has done his campaign, the Presidency had to take the precaution of postponing the campaign this time as the event may be hijacked by hoodlums,โ he divulged.
According to the source, President Buhari does not want to be seen as a leader promoting mayhem and encouraging break down of law and order in Kwara State or any other parts of the country.
It was gathered from the schedule of campaigns released by the APC national secretariat that the party’s train was originally expected in Kwara and Kogi last Wednesday for the rally which was also published by the Nation Newspaper.
Despite the cancellation of the Kwara rally, Buhari travelled to Kogi State capital, Lokoja as scheduled.
Kogi was the third state where the president campaigned for re-election.
Speaking on the party’s rally in Kogi, a loyalist of the APC who spoke on condition of anonymity with this medium on the telephone said although Buhari’s visit was lately communicated, the party leaders however reached out to all stakeholders to ensure the success of the rally.
โWe were communicated late on the issue but we have to rally everybody to host the President. But in Kwara, the party was not ready and it has to do with a number of issues including logistics among others.โ
