Nigerian Pilot Nasarawa Correspondent Attacked By Ewuga Over Report Of Missing N200Million By Rabiu Omaku, Lafia
Nigerian Pilot newspaper, Correspondent covering Nasarawa, Mr. Peter Ahemba was at the early hours of yesterday attacked by Senator Solomon Ewuga and Director-General of Alhaji Yusuf Agabi campaign (PDP governorship candidate) organization over the content of a published report written by the correspondent in which the campaign DG felt aggrieved.
The incident occurred at the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, state secretariat situated along Jos road, Lafia when Mr. Ahemba arrive the party office having been summoned by the senator.
It will be recalled that Nigerian Pilot newspaper had in a story captioned “Confusion rocks Nasarawa PDP over missing N200m campaign fund” and published in its Monday, February 16 2015 edition revealed the confusion that has engrossed the party over the whereabouts of the presidential campaign fund.
Sources at the state party secretariat had alleged that the sum of N200 million out of N1 billion earmarked to deliver the two key candidates of the party in the March 28 and April 11 polls in the state respectively has been pocketed by some officials of the presidential campaign council headed by the state Deputy Governor, an allegation the duo described as baseless and unfounded.
Ewuga who was visibly angry that the report has caused disaffection among party stakeholders in the state accosted the correspondent on arrival at the office, reining insults on the reporter just as he attempted assaulting the reporter in the presence of other party officials present in the office.
“Who told you that N200 million is missing and why did you not contact me before publishing that report? Look, I have practiced as a Journalist for many years; you people are disgracing this profession. I know your publisher and I will personally report you to him if you mess up”. The angry-looking Senator threatened.
In his reaction, Mr. Peter Ahemba insisted that the report was verified and well-balanced, maintaining that the state presidential campaign coordinator and Deputy Governor of the state, Damishi Barau Luka who is at the centre of the allegation was contacted on the matter through one of his aides, Nathaniel Isa who stated his own side of the story.
The state Deputy Governor who was also at the party secretariat in preparation for the takeoff of yesterday campaign of some local government areas in the southern senatorial district however resisted being dragged into what could best be described as a display of immaturity saying “This is a small boy. I can’t join issues with a reporter”.
Senator Abubakar Sodangi, another top official of the campaign council appealed to the reporter to remain patient despite the ugly development, just as he solicited for the support and cooperation of Journalists to enable the party succeed.
It could be recalled that the director general Agabi campaign organization, Solomon Ewuga was recently accused of swindling the sum of N25m campaign bounty donated by the federal capital minister to the Nasarawa state chapter of the party, The money was not made public to the campaign team by Ewuga and the gubernatorial candidate.
The N25m has tears the party apart, This report was coming at a time the party was broke, This compelled the party to tax all political office holders to donate for the campaign rally of the party, This last financial scandal bring the money to the tune of N225m campaign fund.
