A pro-Goodluck Jonathan political rally,
disguised as a Unity and Peace rally, ended
abruptly earlier today on a tragic note in
Kaduna, with an unknown number of
participants reportedly injured.

It was learnt that no fewer than two people
were stabbed and rushed to hospital while
several others suffered minor injuries after
participants freely used dangerous weapons
on one another.

The rally, which was purportedly bankrolled
by a governor from the South-south
geopolitical zone, was organized under the
banner of the Northern Youth Forum (NYF),
which has members in the 19 northern states.

According to PREMIUM TIMES, the rally was
organized to boost President Goodluck
Jonathan’s acceptance in the North ahead of the 2015 presidential election.

Those familiar with the organization of the
rally claimed that the participants were
transported to Kaduna from all the 19
northern states with the sum of N3000 to
each one of them.

In the invitations to participants, organizer
Jubril Tafida, a former vice-chairman of a
local government in Kaduna and current
youth leader of the NYF, had claimed the
rally was called to promote unity in the
north.

But no sooner had the event started at the
Murtala Muhammed Square in central
Kaduna, than the real purpose of the
gathering became clear as speaker after
speaker eulogized Mr. Jonathan and subtly
drummed up support for his reelection bid in
2015.

It was gathered that the timely intervention
of the police prevented the situation from
degenerating further as they dispersed the
violent crowd.

The Kaduna State Police Public Relations
Officer, Aminu Lawan, could not be reached
for comments as calls to his telephone line
failed to connect.

The organizer also could not be reached as
his telephone was switched off.
-PREMIUM TIMES