Almakura sues for peace as PDP, APC members clash in Lafia

Several cars were smashed in Lafia on Monday when APC and PDP supporters clashed at a ceremony to inaugurate local government officials elected on Saturday.
The state electoral commission had on Sunday declared that APC won six chairmanship seats against PDP’s four while results from three councils were declared inconclusive
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the violence broke out at the gate of Nasarawa Government House, venue of the inauguration, when supporters of both parties, chanting slogans of their
candidates, started pelting stones at each other.

Although no serious casualty was recorded, more than 10 vehicles were smashed before police officers dispersed the youths using tear gas canisters.
Reacting to the skirmishes in a brief speech to swear in the officials, Gov Umaru Al-Makura called for peace amongst the people irrespective of their political differences.
“We can only grow and develop in a peaceful environment,” he declared.
The governor commended the people for their peaceful conduct during the elections and described the outcome as “indeed very historic”.
“The peaceful conduct of the polls has shown that we are all law abiding and I want this spirit to be sustained,” he said.

He assured the chairmen that they would be given a free hand to administer their councils as an entity recognised by the constitution as the third tier of government.
Meanwhile, security personnel have been keeping vigil at strategic points in the state capital with many others patrolling the city to forestall any breakdown of law and order over the outcome of the exercise.