Govs Yero, Umar, Others Tear Gassed By Police

Tragedy was averted yesterday when some People’s Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirants, their supporters and other visitors, who had gone to the national headquarters of the PDP in Abuja, were tear gassed by a policeman deployed to the Wadata Plaza, apparently in a bid to control the surging crowd.



The PDP headquarters was a beehive of activities from 9am when supporters of various governorship aspirants notably the deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha; Kaduna State governor, Ramalan Yero; Taraba State acting governor, Garba Umar; Hon Ndudi Elumelu; Hon Geofrey Gaiya, Senator Abubakar Gada and Hon Ibrahim El-Sudi from Jigawa State, who came with the state government marked vehicles, trooped in with their supporters in large numbers, chanting praises of their preferred aspirants.

Policemen on duty battled with crowds of people in the entourages of the aspirants struggling to gain entrance into the organising secretary’s office, a situation that almost led to a stampede, with the policeman firing the gas.

Confusion ensued as people scampered for safety and ran out through the back door with their eyes and noses covered while others sneezed uncontrollably. At a point, two persons were said to have slumped due to suffocation before they were eventually helped out through the escape route.

Some of the affected people became outraged that the policeman could fire a teargas canister in an enclosed place like the corridor where the deputy speaker and state governors were standing and waiting to submit their nomination forms.