Youth organizations and students and youth gathered in Kaduna on Saturday to celebrate Hamza Al-Mustapha’s release from prison and ask him to run for elections in 2015.
Several hundreds of people gathered at the Murtala Square in Kaduna to honour the former soldier and Chief Security Officer to late Head of State, Sani Abacha.
The gathering, which was tagged ‘Almustapha unity gathering’, was witnessed by hundreds of youth and some Kaduna politicians.
The youth chanted solidarity songs and flew banners in support of Mr. Al-Mustapha, in the watchful eyes of security officials.
Mr. Al-Mustapha, who arrived the venue at about 1:09 p.m., was visibly excited by the crowd he saw waiting for him and was squeezed through the crowd to his seat. He is yet to declare his membership of any political party.
One of the organisers of the rally, Ismail Mohammed, said Mr. Al-Mustapha is being celebrated because he is considered a leader and a fighter of justice.
“We are begging him to contest for election in 2015,” Mr. Mohammed said.
Mr. Al-Mustapha was freed by the Court of Appeal as the court found him not guilty of involvement in the murder of late Kudirat Abiola, wife of the winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, Moshood Abiola.
The Lagos State Government has already appealed the judgement.