The increasing spate of attacks on President Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign train in some parts of the North is rattling the leadership of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party.
Investigations by SUNDAY PUNCH in Abuja, on Friday, showed that the grave situation were made worse by allegations that the attacks had been carried out by aggrieved members of the party.
It was learnt that the situation had prompted the President’s security team to take extra measures to protect him as he prepared to visit Gombe, Yobe and Niger states this week.
Our correspondents also gathered that the PDP had been further unsettled by the hot exchange of words between the Bauchi State Governor, Isa Yuguda, and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Sen. Bala Mohammed, over the stoning of the President’s convoy in Katsina State.
The party and the Presidency were said to have been stunned by Yuguda’s claim that the attack on the President’s convey was arranged by the members of the ruling party, under the supervision of the minister.
In response, the minister accused the governor of being an opposition mole within the ruling party. However, the party and the Presidency were said to have intervened and made the two men to sheathe their swords.
The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Olisa Metuh, said the party had asked its members to be cautious of their comments on the issue.
"It is curious and it is not a welcome development if we have our leaders bickering in the public. We have asked them to be wary of their comments," Metuh said.
A party leader from one of the northern states confided in SUNDAY PUNCH on the level of anxiety in the party.
He said, "I will be lying if I say we are not disturbed. The truth is that some of our brothers in the North consider loyalty and support for General (Muhammadu) Buhari a religious obligation.
"They have resorted to intimidation and threats, when you see things differently they come after you and your family and burn your house. If you remember, in 2011 so many of us had our houses burnt and some barely escaped with their lives.
"Some have not recovered from their loss and it may be difficult for some to take that kind of risks this time around."
The panic in the party, another source told SUNDAY PUNCH informed the decision of the party not to extend the suspension earlier slammed on its estranged national chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur. He said it was taken to forestall bickering and further loss of followership.
The party on Thursday lifted the one-month suspension it placed on Tukur on December 4.
Metuh rose in defence of the party’s decision to lift Tukur’s suspension.
He said, "Tukur’s suspension was for 30 days. Since the suspension was not extended, we needed to lift it and that was what we did."
Also speaking on the issue, the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Abdullahi Jalo, said what was happening was a smear campaign by the opposition.
He said, "To the best of my knowledge; no member of the PDP was involved in stoning Mr. President. Northerners, especially our youths, respect elders. None of our members threw stones at our President."
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