A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Saleh Zazzaga, blamed the opposition for the increased killing in Plateau State.
Bellnews reports that about 28 persons were killed in the Palm Sunday attack in Gariya Waye, Angwan Rukuba community in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The incident heralded a resurgence of killings in the state, leading to fears that the situation could degenerate to a full-blown breakdown of law and order.
Speaking on the situation in a statement made available to journalists on Monday, Zazzaga, who is also Chairman of the North-Central All Progressives Congress (APC) Forum, alleged that the killings are aimed at derailing the re-election of President Bola Tinubu, and discrediting Plateau State Governor Caleb Muftwang.
He also linked the insecurity in Plateau State to persons opposed to Muftwang’s defection to the APC.
Zazzaga, while pointing out that the North-Central had pledged six million votes to Tinubu in 2027, alleged that the ongoing killings in Plateau and Benue states are aimed at reducing Tinubu’s vote count in the forthcoming election.
He said, “The ongoing attacks and killings in Plateau State are politically motivated. Those behind these killings are opposition politicians who want to derail Mr President’s re-election in the 2027 elections. These are also people who want to discredit Governor Caleb Muftwang, knowing fully well that they can’t stop his re-election.
“They know that with Governor Muftwang having defected to the APC, the chances are high that Mr. President will get 100 percent of the votes from Plateau State, so they have decided to sponsor violence to prevent that from happening.
“To create the impression that the administration is not performing, these individuals have decided to sponsor violent attacks and killings in defenceless communities. They know the natives are with Mr President and the governor, that is why they are engaging in mass killings, to reduce the native population and by so doing, reduce the votes that would go to Mr President in the coming election.”