ANOTHER disaster visited Borno on Saturday as Governor Kashim Shettima's campaign tour of Southern Borno turns bloody, when alleged supporters and political thugs of the governor descended on protesting youths, primary school teachers and local government workers.They were said to be protesting over the sack of more than 6,000 primary school teachers, lack of implementation of the N18,000 minimum wage and failed promises for youth empowerment at the local government level.The protesters, from Birhyel in Bayo, Kwaya-Kusar and Hawul, told the governor that he had no business coming to sell his ambition to run for the governorship of the state for a second term, having failed to make impact in the last three and half years of his stewardship.Our correspondent learnt that the protesters, who took to the streets vowing to die for their cause, were attacked with dangerous weapons by the supporters of the governor when the security operatives attached to him could not stop the protesters from pelting his convoy with stone and hurling abusive words at the person of the governor.A resident of Biu Local Government Area, Adamu Kwaya, told our correspondent that, 'the thugs killed three people who were throwing stones at the governor and injured many others during the protest. Those are currently receiving treatment in Biu.'Governor says his re-election, a do-or-die affairMeanwhile, Governor Shettima shocked the people of Shani Local Government during his campaign tour of the area when he paid homage to the emir of Shani, Alhaji Nasiru Shettima Mailafiya, when he declared that his re-election in the April 11 election was a do-or-die affair, threatening to deal with any emir who received any opposition party in his palace.Shettima, who was particularly angry with the emir of Shani for daring to grant audience to opposition political parties, said all first-class emirs in Borno State risked losing their seats, as he vowed to sanction all traditional rulers who refused to support the All Pogressives Congress (APC).Speaking at the palace of the emir of Shani on Friday, the governor frowned at a situation where emirs grant audience to opposition political parties, especially the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Muhammad Imam, and former governor of the state, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, who were given a heros welcome in the area recently.Emir insists on non-partisanshipBut the emir, Alhaji Mailafiya, did not take the threat lying low, as he told Governor Shettima to his face that as a father, he was under obligation to receive into his palace all manners of people, including people of different political persuasions.He maintained that he had no sympathy for any political party, but that he was merely living up to his oath of office by being fair and just to all people, stressing that the traditional institution should not be dragged into unnecessary political controversies, hence his open-door policy.Alhaji Mailafiya reminded Governor Shettima that part of his charges upon him during the presentation of his staff of office was to carry everybody along and to be fair and just in his dealings with people.The governor, who departed Shani in annoyance, was said to have proceeded to Gombe where he spent the night and was expected to arrive Biu on Saturday to yet another hostile reception as the yout in Biu were said, to have been pulling down everything the APC erected in the area.They also vandalised part of Governor Shettima's liaison house ahead of his coming.
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