RE: SUSWAM ESCAPES ATTACK BY ARMED MEN

The story of the purported attack on the convoy of the Governor of Benue State, Dr. Gabriel Suswam by armed men as reported by Saturday Mirror of 9th July, 2011 on page 7 is false, malicious and just a figment of imagination of the Suswam media crew as no reporter of the National Mirror could claim he saw the incident as reported.

This action is just a manifestation from a drowning man who wants to hold on to anything as he goes down. The young man, Tanimu Mohammed, owner of the rickety vehicle claimed to have been used in the attack is a regular supporter of the ACN, and was ordinarily travelling to Makurdi to attend the reception in honour of Senate Minority Leader, Sen. George Akume. On sighting ACN posters on his vehicle, Suswam’s men were angered and infuriated and in an attempt to impress their master, mercilessly manhandled the young man and made up the assassination attempted story to cover up their misconduct.

The obvious loopholes in the story attest to the inefficiency and desperation of Suswam’s men as no right thinking person would contemplate an assassination attempt on a moving convoy of a Governor with all the sophisticated security attached to it using such a rickety vehicle.

Secondly, a search, according to Suswam’s men conducted on the vehicle found no weapons rather it had bottles of ogogoro, ACN posters and charms. How could a mission to assassinate a governor by attacking his convoy be carried out without arms? Thirdly, how could such agile security operatives on Governor’s convoy notice an assassination attempt and rather than shoot, start pursuing the assassins in the bush? Lastly, if the Governor’s convoy was actually attacked while he was going for a reception, why was no mention made of it at the reception in Katsina-Ala?

We are calling on the Director General of NAFDAC, Dr. Paul Orhii, not to allow his name to be dragged into such mischief and falsehood. He should immediately dissociate himself from such falsehood. Secondly, we call on the Police to thoroughly investigate the incident as alleged. Thirdly, we call on the National Mirror Newspaper to investigate the circumstances of the story as we have it on authority that, it was written by Dr. Cletus Akwaya; Suswam’s media Adviser and circulated to correspondents most of who refused to carry it. Lastly, we request an immediate apology from Dr. Gabriel Suswam for initiating and spreading such falsehood.

The Leadership of the Action Congress of Nigeria in Benue State is calling all its supporters to remain calm in the face of all these provocations as we are determined to reclaim our stolen mandate through the instrumentality of the election tribunal. We strongly advise Dr. Gabriel Suswam to face issues of forgery and electoral malpractices pending at the tribunal rather than trying to intimidate and harass ACN supporters.

Written by Comrade Abba Yaro, State Chairman, ACN.