From Jude Dangwam, Jos

The Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong, has directed security agencies in the state to go after attackers of Kubat Village in Mangu Local Government Area of the state that claimed the lives of innocent citizens.

He said he was distressed by the news of the overnight attack on Kubat Village in Mangu Local Government where some locals including women and children were reportedly killed.

Lalong in a statement by his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Dr.

The Governor described the resurgence of attacks by the gunmen as “yet another attempt by crises merchants and criminals to return the state to the dark days of pain and agony,’’ vowing that government will stop at nothing to ensure that those behind the scheme are dealt with mercilessly.

He commiserated with the victims and assured them that the murderers will not be allowed to go unpunished, stressing that “this is an act that can neither be tolerated nor excused no matter the motivation’’.

The Governor directed the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and the Peace Building Agency to visit the area and ascertain the humanitarian needs so as to bring succour to the affected persons.

Kaduna PDP faults Makarfi’s suspension, says it’s has no effect

From Nicholas Dekera, Kaduna

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kaduna State, yesterday faulted the purported suspension of the party Leader, Senator Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi and described the action as the handwork of a few misguided elements.

The state party Chairman, Mr. Felix Hassan Hyet, who stated this while briefing newsmen on the development at the PDP Secretariat in Kaduna also dismissed allegations that Senator Makarfi engaged in anti-party activities.

He quoted section 57 of the Party Constitution as saying that only the National Leadership of the Party has powers to suspend a leader of the calibre of Ahmed Makarfi, emphasizing that the purported suspension has no effect and should be discarded.

Hyet argued that Senator Ahmed Makarfi led party members during the PDP campaigns to all the local government councils in the state and therefore cannot be said to be part of any anti-party activities as alleged.

According to him, the party officials at the ward where Makarfi hails from has sat and resolved to take disciplinary action against all those that took part in signing the press statement of the purported suspension.

He accused the people who purportedly suspended Makarfi of openly changing results of the last elections in favor of a different political party in some wards including Makarfi, Kaduna South and Kaduna North Local government areas.

Hyet maintained that when the party officials realized the expressions of dissatisfaction from party members who left the party after the 2019 elections and came back before the this year’s general elections, the party incorporated them into the campaign structure but only for them to come together and congratulated the person announced by INEC as winner of the election.

The chairman said that at their meeting on Monday, the state executives endorsed decision of the Local Government party officials to take disciplinary action against all those who took part in anti-party activities during the last elections at all levels.