Senate President Ahmad Lawan yesterday denied that there was any act of violence during the All Progressives Congress (APC) zonal rally at Gashua in Bade Local Government Area of Yobe State on Saturday.
A statement yesterday in Abuja by his Special Adviser (Media), Ola Awoniyi, described as false and malicious the reports in a section of the media claiming that the rally was disrupted.
It reads: “We have noticed some misrepresentations and outright fabrications in a section of the media on events at the APC zonal campaign rally which was held in Gashua, Bade Local Government Area, in Yobe State, on Saturday, February 11, 2023.
“The offensive reports insinuated that there was a disruption of the rally by a particular group of supporters. The report also alleged that some party leaders were stoned at the rally.
“We categorically state that the claims are far from the truth. They completely misrepresented what happened.
“The facts are that the people of Yobe North Senatorial District, otherwise referred to as Zone C, turned out en masse for the rally in demonstration of their love for the All Progressives Congress (APC) and, particularly, to show their appreciation of the achievements of the state governor, His Excellency, Mai Mala Buni, in the last three and a half years of his administration.
“The large size and enthusiasm of the crowd was no doubt a show of solidarity and support for their son, His Excellency, Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan, President of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, whose candidacy for the Yobe North Senatorial District has just been affirmed by a judgment of the Supreme Court.
“The rally was a further demonstration that the relationship between the people of Yobe North and the governor is as solid as ever before. It also shows that the APC is both united and solid in the zone.
“This is what perhaps infuriated the sponsors of the fake news to disparage the party. But they have failed in their voyage to sow seeds of discord among members of the party.
“We enjoin members of the public to discountenance the report as it was concocted out of malice.”