It was an unprecedented crowd last week in Dutse, Jigawa state when the APC campaign train arrived the state. BAYO MUHAMMAD ALABIRA writes on certain events that do not catch the glimpse of the camera.
Being one of the most crowded All Progressives Congress (APC) rally ever held in Dutse, Jigawa state capital by any political party recently, issues and matters had accompanied it in different forms resulting from the mammoth crowd that thronged the state capital to the way the president was welcomed in the state.
Contrary to the usual protocol, President Muhammadu Buhari received royal blessings at the Government House in a ceremony led by the emir of Hadejia, Alhaji Adamu Abubakar Maje instead of the royal palace.
Normally, the august visitor is supposed to have paid a courtesy call at the palaces of the emirs for the royal blessings but the state chairman council of Emirs came to Dutse and led other royal fathers to receive the president at Government House.
The mammoth crowd
Overwhelmed by the mammoth crowd he met waiting for him right from Dutse International Airport through Fanisau via Aminu Kano Triangle, the venue of the rally, it made the president to overly excited to the point that he almost forgot to raise the hand of the party’s gubernatorial candidate, Governor Badaru Abubakar.
Obviously, it was when the president finished his speech and was about to leave the podium that Faruk Adamu Aliyu, one of the party’s chieftains in the state reminded him, saying, “You did not raise the hand of the governor”, to which he quickly grabbed the microphone and said loudly, “It is not only me that want Governor Badaru to be re-elected but the entire state wants the governor to be re-elected”. At that point, he raised the hand of Badaru and there was a thunderous acknowledgement of ‘Jigawa sai Badaru; Nigeria sai Baba Buhari’ from the crowd.
Buhari is naturally, no doubt, one of the most loved and respected by his supporters in APC and other political parties. In a chat with a member of one of the opposition parties who did want his name mentioned for obvious reasons, he told Blueprint that, “Although I am not in APC, but seeing the crowd that gathered here to welcome the president and catch the glimpse of him, I too love him and possibly I can vote for him in the forthcoming election. Because whether I vote for him or not, I know he will win the election”.
The rally was adjudged as one of the most crowded in recent times, some of the supporters were pressed and squeezed to the level that they cannot help themselves out without being assisted by others or insecurity agents. “This is one of the most crowded rallies I have ever witnessed in the course of this coming election,” said Abdullahi Ganja an APC supporter.
As Blueprint moved round the venue, there were so many cases where people fainted but were rescued and rushed for medical attention. This happened because of the unprecedented crowd and its attendant consequences. “All these people gathered at the Aminu Kano Triangle to take the chance of seeing or catching a glimpse of their leaders, Governor Badaru and President Buhari,” said Ganja.
Although the weather was not too hash but was obviously hot which caused people to sweat while they also scamper for drinking water. It was brisk business for water vendors.
Investigation by Blueprint revealed that the ensuing stampede that occurred that day was because the crowd over-powered the combined team of soldiers, policemen, NSCDC team and other para-military men positioned in various places in and around the venue to ensure the crowd maintain decorum without anyone being hurt.
On arrival at the venue, supporters were seen struggling, pushing forward making their way through the areas that were hitherto heavily barricaded by security agents. When the security agents were over powered by the crowd, they resorted to the use of horses to push the advancing crowd back in order to provide space for dignitaries on the high table.
The restless crowd had waited for hours before the president and his entourage arrived. This forced the security operatives to restrict their positions using iron barricades which became the last stop against the surging crowd even though parts of the metal fence collapsed under the intense pressure from the crowd. Blueprint discovered that the state commissioner of police, Bala Zama Senchi, had to mobilise for additional reinforcement of security to checkmate any unexpected circumstances.
Thugs nearly stole the show
In every gathering, there would be the good, the bad and the ugly. It was discovered that policemen seized several naked knives from some political thugs during the occasion. Governor Badaru in all his campaign rallies had cautioned youth against the use of dangerous weapons during rallies. “He admonishes everyone to be good at all times. It was so unfortunate for one of these thugs who was caught holding the naked knife seized by the police without arresting the others,” said a bystander.
The traffic congestion
One of the immediate challenges about the event was the grid locks caused by the rally in which travellers in and out of the town were delayed for several hours. This is because all entry and exit points into Dutse town were obstructed by cars, lorries, buses and trailers conveying the party supporters in thousands.
The population also over stretched the public facilities available for use such as toilets, food joints, hotels and restaurants. Local food vendors in and around Dutse received high patronage. From the venue of the event to the town, there was a sign that a major event had just taken place because of sachets of pure water, broken pieces of rubber water and bottle water scattered everywhere.
President Buhari in speech said his administration has recorded great achievements in the fight against insurgency, revitalisation of the agricultural sector and fight against corruption. “In our next level, we will continue and consolidate on the same issues, fighting corruption, developing the economy, agriculture and security,” he said.
“In our second term by the grace of God, if you give us the second tenure, we will continue with our fight against corruption. Those who looted this country, we will arrest them, seize their loots and prosecute them according to the law of the land. They will never escape the law and don’t allow the corrupt politicians to convince you to cast your votes for them at all,” he emphasised.
Governor Badaru used the occasion to thank the president for the dualisation of Kano/Maiduguri road, Shuwarin to kwanan Huguma road, the N-Power initiative, Hime-Grown Feeding, Trader-moni, among others.
Also speaking, the national chairman of APC, Comrade Adam Oshiomole observed that Buhari is the most hated leader, in Nigeria today, by the elites and ex-Generals who looted Nigeria dry during their times, saying, “They don’t want him to do even four years at the first place to talk on eight years”.
