ACN, PDP SUPPORTERS CLASH IN GBOKO

By NBF News

Benue State witnessed its first political clash over the weekend at the Yandev junction in Gboko, when supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and those of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) engaged themselves in fisticuffs, leaving no fewer than five persons injured.

According to eyewitnesses, the ACN campaign train was on its way to a rally in Gboko when a group suspected to be PDP youths suddenly laid ambush for them at the major junction linking Gboko.

The youths were said to be throwing stones at the ACN convoy injuring five persons in the process, a development, which allegedly forced the ACN convoy led by its governorship candidate, Prof. Steven Ugbah to beat a retreat.

It was further gathered that but for the timely arrival of men of the Nigeria Police Force at the scene of the incident, the clashes may have claimed lives of some persons. The police, Daily Sun also gathered cleared the way for the ACN governorship candidate's convoy to enter the town and hold its rally.

However, the PDP had denied that the youths who laid siege were PDP youths, insisting that the clash was rather stage-managed by the ACN to portray the PDP as a violent party. Speaking with newsmen, the PDP spokesman, Godwin Ayihe maintained that the ACN governorship convoy was not attacked by the PDP youths but that it was planned by ACN.

'PDP supporters did not attack ACN. It is a political gimmick aimed at smearing the image of the party and Governor Gabriel Suswam. The party is merely seeking sympathy because it does not have any root in the state,' Ayihe noted.