Policemen were deployed to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national secretariat on Thursday as supporters of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who accompanied him to submit his presidential nomination form, clashed with thugs.
Atiku arrived at about noon, and while submitting his nomination form inside the party secretariat, pandemonium erupted as some persons suspected to be political thugs attacked his supporters.
The development caused chaos as people scampered for safety, causing stampede at the secretariat main entrance as the supporters, especially women tried to rush into the premises.
The situation was, however, brought under control following the intervention of policemen who promptly fired gunshots into the air to dispel the thugs.
No arrest was made as the hoodlums escaped through different routes, and it was not immediately ascertained if injuries were sustained in the fracas.
Meanwhile, Atiku said that he is seeking the PDP presidential ticket to make Nigeria work.
The 71-year-old said that he was saddened by the fact that 11 million Nigerians, excluding “the millions more who never had a job since leaving school”, had become unemployed since May 29, 2015.
He, however, said that he had created thousands of jobs in his private businesses and knew how to lead a government that would do the same for Nigeria.
“It weighs deeply on my heart that Nigeria has become the world headquarters for extreme poverty according to the World Economic Forum and the World Poverty Clock.
“I am not happy that there are so much killings and terror across the country that the Global Terrorism Index rates Nigeria as more terrorised today than she was in 2015.
“I am not happy that Nigeria is perceived to be more corrupt today than she was in 2015 having moved 12 steps backwards, from 136 in 2014 to 148 today, in the Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index.
“One hundred and thirty-six is bad enough; 148 is simply unacceptable and shameful, especially under a government that claims that fighting corruption is its priority,” said Abubakar.
