The campaign office of Muhammad Jibril Barde, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial candidate in Gombe State, was, on Monday, set ablaze by suspected political thugs.
Spokesman of the PDP campaign organisation, Mr Ayuba Aluke, said the office located close to the Presidential Lodge along the Gombe Government House Road, was razed in the early hours of yesterday.
Aluke, while addressing newsmen, blamed the attack and destruction of their campaign properties on political thugs belonging to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
“There was an attack on the building housing the Barde Campaign Organisation in the early hours of today (Monday) by political thugs, suspected to be that of the sinking APC, setting ablaze the building and destroying properties.
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“The cowardly attack on this edifice, one of many in the last months, further affirmed the present government’s stand on violence and destruction, a threat to the fragile peace of the state, which must vehemently be rejected by all and sundry,” he said.
Aluke, therefore, called on their supporters and party members to maintain peace, remain calm and be law abiding, assuring that the PDP would take legal measures to address the incessant attacks on its campaign office.
Responding, Ismaila Uba Misilli, media aide to the state governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, dismissed the PDP’s claim, saying the opposition party was looking for cheap publicity.
He said the opposition was in no way a threat to APC, wondering how the ruling party could have instructed its supporters to attack the PDP’s campaign office as alleged by Barde’s campaign council.
“There’s no reason that any critical stakeholder in APC would instruct someone to attack the PDP campaign office. PDP is not in any way a threat to the APC because the party has consolidated its hold in the state.
“The governor is a law-abiding citizen, and he cannot instruct or allow someone to break law and order in the state. The PDP is just looking for a way to get cheap publicity and sympathy by torching its campaign office and blaming it on the government,” he said.
Police Public Relations Officer in Gombe, ASP Mahid Mu’azu Abubakar, said investigation had been launched and that there were efforts to arrest the perpetrators.
