Two people were reportedly killed on Tuesday when the APC campaign rally in Mada, a community in Gusau Local Government Area of Zamfara State, turned violent. Eyewitness accounts said the gathering degenerated into chaos after some angry residents began throwing stones, leading to a stampede and fatal injuries.
Speaking during a radio program on Pride FM Gusau organised by the PDP and anchored by Nasiru Musa Adafka, Kabiru Mande said no political ambition was worth the blood of innocent people.
"It is undemocratic and barbaric for anyone to take the life of another because of politics," Kabiru Mande said. "Politics is supposed to be about ideas, service and convincing people, not about violence and intimidation. The right to life is the first right in our constitution and in the sight of Allah."
The PDP candidate extended his condolences to the people of Mada and to the families of the victims. He prayed for the repose of the dead and for Allah to grant the families the fortitude to bear the loss.
In a direct appeal to APC leaders in the state, Mande urged them to "fear Allah (S.W.T.)" and to remember how they came to power.
He recalled the 2019 general elections, saying the PDP won seats in Zamfara unexpectedly following the Supreme Court judgment that nullified the APC candidacies. He also referenced the 2023 elections, stating that Allah gave the party another opportunity "when they were stranded."
"When you sit down and remember how Allah gave you this position without your planning, you will be careful with how you treat people," he said. "Power is a trust from Allah. One day you will give account of how you used it."
Hon Kabiru Mande also condemned what he described as the "immoral" practice of politicians hiring Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, to fill campaign grounds.
"It is wrong to take people who have lost their homes, their farms and their loved ones to insecurity, and then use them as crowd for politics without addressing their problems," he said. "That is adding injury to injury. If you truly care for them, give them security and resettlement, not N2,000 to come and shout your name."
He called on all political parties to conduct their campaigns within the ambit of the law and to avoid actions that could trigger violence in communities already battling insecurity.
Recall that The Spectacles had earlier reported that the APC was kicking off its campaign in Mada, Zamfara State. According to that report, the event did not end well as the gathering turned chaotic following stone-throwing by some residents who were said to be angry.
The violence in Mada adds to growing concerns about political tension in Zamfara ahead of upcoming elections. The state has been grappling with banditry, displacement, and a fragile security situation that stakeholders say makes peaceful campaigns even more critical.
Hon Mande urged security agencies to investigate the Mada incident thoroughly and bring those responsible to justice, regardless of party affiliation.
"We cannot build a state on blood," he said. "I call on our youths not to allow themselves to be used to fight or kill their brothers because of politicians. After elections, we will still be neighbors. Let us campaign with respect, with truth, and let the people decide."
He reiterated his commitment to issue-based politics, saying that his campaign in Gusau and Tsafe Federal Constituency would focus on health care, education, empowerment of women and youths, and support for IDPs.
As of the time of filing this report, the APC in Zamfara state had not issued any official statement on the deaths of two innocent people.
