The Presidency and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) have described the alleged stone-pelting attack on President Muhammadu Buhari’s helicopter in Kano State as an attempt by main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to mislead the public on the facts of the incident.

A statement yesterday in Abuja by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, said: “We have seen fake reports of stone-pelting incident that took place at Hotoro area of Kano during the visit to the city by President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday, an incident, even if minor, that should stand condemned by all well-meaning citizens.

“The facts on the ground, as rendered by the law enforcement agencies, speak of a clash between the local road transport authorities, the Kano Road Transport Authority (KAROTA), and thugs hired by a yet-to-be identified group, that took place when the President was being treated to a banquet at the Government House, well after he had finished his projects inauguration.

“The President was in the state for the development, safety and security of the lives of common citizens and the happy thing about it was that the good people of Kano State were appreciative of him for the progress the state and the nation are making under him.

“The divisive rhetoric of an opposition in a futile attempt to malign the image of the President and the candidates of the APC in the coming elections, and its desperate wedge-driving activities to cause a division between the party and the government is not what will give them victory.

“A so-called leading opposition party that controls 14 states, going into elections with eight or nine of the states in tow should look inwards to see why their campaign is flagging and destined to fail. Their defeat is a story foretold by many discerning individuals.”

The Presidency expressed worry that the PDP was encouraging violence during the electioneering instead of speaking against such dangerous a behaviour.

Also, in a statement yesterday in Abuja, APC National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka said: “2023 will go down in our country’s political history as the year of unmitigated infamy for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). No one would have thought the PDP capable of outdoing its own record of reckless, mindless and despicable undertakings in and out of governance.

“The PDP has tossed every rule of law, ethical standards, morality, decency, civility, decorum in the trash bin in its deviant obsession for power. Just when you think degenerate PDP has reached the abyss of low, they burrow even deeper into crevices of shame.

“A statement issued by the PDP on the President Muhammadu Buhari’s recent visit to Kano is nothing short of a confessional statement of conspiracy to commit treasonable felony. By actively instigating and sponsoring fringe violent anti-social conduct by paid urchins during presidential engagements in Kano, the PDP has crossed the line of fair campaign engagement into grievous culpable criminality.

“This is unacceptable and demands urgent law enforcement investigation and prosecution of all participants in this high crime.”

The APC spokesman recalled that “President Buhari was in Kano on Sunday, January 29, 2023, at the instance of the high-achieving governor of the state, Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje, to inaugurate eight legacy projects, including a world-class Cancer Centre for which the good people of Kano State are immensely grateful.

“Ostensibly, the PDP is morbidly terrified by the cozy and strong relations between our presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and President Muhammadu Buhari. As leader of our party, President Buhari’s universe of goodwill and massive grassroots following inure to the benefit of our visionary presidential candidate.

“The PDP is distraught and dejected by bleak and irrecoverable hopelessness of its chances in the next general election. However, that does not give it a right to incite and procure treasonable acts in desperate last ditch and orchestrated plot to incite Nigerians against our party.

“The Nigerian electorate is smart, mature, sensible and discerning. We are convinced they find the PDP’s conduct disturbing, appalling, repulsive and pitiful and will continue to ignore the party’s blatant falsehood and criminal behaviour and reject the party and all its candidates from top to bottom.”

Advising Nigerians to remain resolute in their rejection of the main opposition party, the APC spokesman maintained that “Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is, and remains, an open and shut case for the Office of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“We urge the good Nigerian electorate to vote our presidential candidate and all candidates of our great party.”