The senator, who alongside other public officials, was stoned by irate protesters in his constituency has given reasons for the Saturday incident.
Abu Ibrahim (APC, Katsina south) blamed his political opponents for the disruption of Saturday’s All Progressives Congress, APC, rally in Funtua.
Amiru Tukur, the member representing Bakori/Danja federal constituency in the House of Representatives also narrowly escaped the mob action at the rally in Funtua, Katsina
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that it took a combined team of security personnel to rescue notable politicians, including the governor’s entourage, as they came under attack from protesters.
Stones and shoes were reportedly used in attacking the dignitaries.
Some vehicles in the entourage of the governor were smashed by irate youths while security personnel had to use tear-gas to disperse the crowds and free the dignitaries.
The event, according to NAN, was an APC rally where the ruling party was accepting defectors from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) and the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) and other parties into its fold.
The event however ended abruptly.
Reports say trouble started when some youths started chanting “Bamaso Abu Ibrahim’’ (We don’t want Senator Abu Ibrahim) and then started throwing stones and shoes at dignitaries and entertainers invited to perform at the event.
Mr, Tukur, the Representative from the area, reportedly sustained injuries while Mr. Ibrahim, along with some of his aides and supporters, who were trying to rescue the senator, were also assaulted.
In an interview with NAN on Monday, Mr. Ibrahim who is the Senate committee chairman on Police Affairs said he is hale and hearty and was unharmed.
He said Funtua residents are peace loving, noting that he would neither be distracted nor succumb to the antics of political thugs.
The politician said he is committed to proactive representation of his people and works for their upliftment by pursuing development programmes in the interest of the constituency and nation at large.
He said disruptions at political events are normal, especially as the APC was receiving hundreds of defectors from different political groups, who chanted the praises of their respective political leaders.
He alleged that the disruption was from political opponents looking for recognition at all costs and enjoined party loyalists to disregard their antics.
“I have contested and won elections in all my polling units at various times without a single record of using thugs or rigging elections,” Mr. Ibrahim said.
He noted that some people had contested with him and lost elections and they always challenged his victory at various quarters but failed, stressing that the use of thugs should be condemned in the interest of democracy.
The senator enjoined the people to vote wisely based on candidates records of achievements and counselled politicians to promote virtues and prudent governance.
He pledged to continue with his efforts of improving the welfare of the people.
The lawmaker said in a fortnight, he plans to unveil a skill empowerment training programme for about 600 youth beside the ongoing provision of 750 wells with 750 water pumping machines for irrigation farming in the constituency.
He said a free eye treatment in which about 515 people underwent surgeries while 330 persons received medicated glasses and 1,908 others were treated for various eye defects was conducted this month.
Last year, Mr. Ibrahim said, he sponsored the training of 1,775 persons in various small scale businesses that included soap and pomade makings, livestock and poultry keepings, food processing, perfume and cream makings, decoration and air freshener making as well as animal feeds processing.
The beneficiaries were from Funtua, Faskari, Kankara, Kafur, Dandume, Sabuwa, Malumfashi, Musawa, Bakori, Danja and Matazu local government areas in Katsina south senatorial district.
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