Plateau: Confusion as anti-Mutfwang protesters, commuters clash inside metro buses

From Jude Owuamanam, Jos

Pandemonium broke out in Jos as some protesters and commuters on Plateau State metro buses clashed after the protesters, who had just demonstrated against Governor Caleb Mutfwang joining the All Progressives Congress (APC), attempted to enter the metro buses on their way home.

Our correspondent gathered that the protesters, made up mostly of women who described themselves as a concerned APC women’s group, had gathered at the foot of the Secretariat Junction flyover to ask the APC leadership not to admit the governor into the party.

This was after another group of APC women had protested in support of Mutfwang joining the party.

However, as the anti-Mutfwang protesters, with their placards, moved to enter two metro buses that had just stopped to pick up passengers at a designated bus station, the commuters blocked the door and prevented them from entering the buses.

They expressed anger that the commuters could have the temerity and conscience to board buses provided by the governor, whom they had described as a “non-performing governor”.

Some of the commuters were heard protesting, “You said he’s not performing. So why are you entering buses provided by someone who’s not performing? You have been settled; go and enter keke and go home.”

One of the commuters told our correspondent, “These women don’t have conscience. They’re entering N200 buses provided by the governor and at the same time abusing him.”

It took the intervention of the driver and a local security operative who often accompanies the buses to restore order.

The driver told them that the bus is for all the people of Plateau State, including his supporters and non-supporters.