There appears to be a major crack in
northern solidarity against President
Goodluck Jonathan’s supposed
ambition to contest the 2015 elections
as over 50 top politicians including
former governors, ministers and
senators from seven northern states
met in Kaduna State weekend to
strategise on how to neutralise the
opposition All Progressive Congress,
APC, in the area.
Those who attended the meeting said
that they in full support of Jonathan
and his Vice, Mohammed Namadi
Sambo, and distanced themselves from
the position of both the Northern
Elders Forum, NEF, and the Arewa
Consultative Forum, ACF, that the
presidency must return to the North in
2015.


This was even as Kano State was almost
thrown into crises yesterday afternoon
following an attack on one of the
supporters of the former Head of State,
General Muhammadu Buhari, Abdul
Majid Danbiliki Commanda at the
popular Al Furqan Mosque shortly after
the Juma’at prayers by unidentified
persons.

The hoodlums invaded the Mosque and
attacked Commanda was bloodied in
the presence of the officiating Imam, Dr
Bashir Umar Aliyu, former Governor
Kano state, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau,
Dr Ibrahim Khalil, Malam Ibrahim
Kankarofi, Abdullahi Sani Rogo among
other top APC stalwarts.
However, among those who attended
the meeting included Senator Saidu
Kumo (Gombe), Abdullahi Gumel
(Jigawa), Alhaji Rabiu Bako, Senator
Zeego Azeez, Bawa Magaji Kufana, and
Saleh Annur- all from Kaduna State.
Others included Senators Jubrin
Donguwa and Hamisu Musa (both from
Kano), while Alhajis Aminu Jambo and
Abdullahi Garus came from Katsina
State.
From Kebbi State were Bala Gwandu,
Bala Kaoje, Samaila Sambawa, just as
Ambassador Ladan Shuni, Yusuf
Suleiman and Ahmed Mohammed
Gusau came from Sokoto State.
However, Sherrif Abdullahi Gashua
from Yobe also attended the gathering
for Jonathan and Sambo even as those
who attended from Zamfara State
included Faruk Ahmed Gusau, Col Bala
Mande, rtd; Lawani Zurmi and Hon.
Matawallen Maradun.
Alhaji Ahmed Gusau, who spoke in an
interview shortly after the meeting said
that the North had benefited a lot from
Jonathan’s presidency, pointing out
that the ruling People’s Democratic
Party, PDP, would showcase such
benefits when it was time for campaign.
He further said that the North did not
belong to ACF or NEF alone as there
other stakeholders, wondering where
the north as a whole met and decided
to vote against Jonathan as claimed by
NEF leaders.
Hoodlums attack Buhari loyalist
Meanwhile, eye witnesses told Saturday
Vanguard that “we are witnessing a
wedding holding inside the mosque
when all of sudden, thugs invaded the
peaceful gathering and bloodied
Commanda in the presence of
distinguished guests.”
It was gathered that, “it took the
combined efforts of the officiating
Imam, and Hisbah Guards to rescue
the APC chieftain into the private
residence of the chief Imam inside the
Mosque before the arrival of anti riot
policemen.”
According to the sources, the ensuing
mêlée caused pandemonium as the
worshippers ran helter skelter for
safety of their lives even as ‘’political
temper rose to a boiling point in the
ancient city.’’
In an interview later, the victim of the
attack, Danbiliki Commanda said that
former Governor Ibrahim Shekarau of
Kano State was the mastermind,
alleging that “those who attacked me
are Malam Shekarau’s boys and I know
them too well.’’
He further said, “I was in the front row
where only one person separated
Shekarau and I during the Juma’at
prayers. I was attending to a wedding
fatiha when some persons I knew to be
close to Shekarau pounced on me.
“It took the combined efforts of the
officiating Imam and Hisbah Guards to
rescue me from the rampaging thugs. I
lost my handset, personal diary and
N100,000.’’
But, in a swift reaction to the
accusation, Shekarau’s Spokesman, Sule
Yau Sule distanced his boss from the
violent encounter, stressing that
“Malam Shekarau is a man of peace.
Certainly Malam Shekarau has nothing
to do with this because when we had
the instrument of power to curb the
excesses of Commanda, we ignored
him, how much more now that we are
out power.
’’You know who Dan’Bilki is and his
excesses when Malam was in power,
but we chose to ignore him because we
were conscious that he had the right to
his freedom of speech,” Sule stated
Sule then advised Commanda to look
elsewhere and desist from dragging the
name of his boss into the mud to curry
cheap political favour.
Efforts to speak with the Police Public
Relation Officer for Kano State, ASP
Magaji Majia proved abortive as calls
put to his telephone line could not go
through.

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