Former chairman of the Ushongu local government area in Benue state and a top member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Asawa Joe has lamented that he was physically assaulted for wearing an Atiku-branded shirt at Governor Samue Ortom’s senatorial rally.
The PDP member, who made this known today, November 30 in a video posted on Facebook, said that he is a member of the Atiku Grassroot Movement in Benue state but that he was thoroughly beaten for wearing an Atiku-branded shirt at Governor Samuel Ortom’s senatorial rally.
Asawa narrated his story thus:
“We got the information that the governor would flag off his campaign in Gboko today. I am a member of the Atiku Grassroot Movement in Benue State, and when we got this information, we felt that this is a PDP function and it is an opportunity for us to come and showcase the might of PDP in Gboko.
“So we mobilised our members because we got the information that various PDP associations are going to be there, and we sensitised our people, and we brought them there. So we went in. “When I came here, I entered inside and went to exchange pleasantries with the high table because I’m the immediate past chairman of Ushongu Local Government and I am deeply involved in this PDP activities and we are told that in Benue, PDP is from the bottom to top and that is the message our PDP national chairman has been preaching.
“That is the message that the governor himself has been preaching and all of a sudden we came here with the belief that we are going to make PDP proud.
“When we came here little did we know, and I did not even have foresight that there is a change of message with attitude.
“Those who approached me said who sent me here and who asked me to put on this shirt? This is the shirt that they beat and torn (sic) away, and they said haven’t I got the instruction that they did not want to see anything like PDP here.
“That is what I heard from them, then they started descending on me, beating me with irons, their legs, their hands, boxing me left and right.
“There were over 50 people punching me, it was one youth leader in Gboko here, Shawa Uge, that is the man who saved my life.”
He said that he was just regaining consciousness at the hospital.
“Thank God! Just regain my consciousness at a hospital now. Was beaten to coma for wearing Atiku shirt at PDP rally in Gboko.”
