Top APC Party Leaders and suspected cultists / ex-militants are deadlocked over plans for parties leader to ring Bayelsa APC governors primary
The governorship primary election of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Bayelsa State, ended in deadlock on Tuesday.
The exercise was marred by violence, thuggery, intimidation of some aspirants and meddlesomeness by some state party officials.
The Chairman of the Electoral Committee and Governor of Edo State, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, was held hostage and was later smuggled out of the venue by operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS) and soldiers.
It was gathered that the governor escaped the angry youths under the pretence that he was going to have his meal.
Trouble started in the morning before 8am, when thugs, suspected cultists and ex-militants invaded the entrance of Samson Siasia Sports Complex, Yenagoa, the venue of the exercise.
The thugs hurled stones at delegates who lined up to be screened for the exercise creating chaos and panic in the area.
The unruly crowd attacked the delegates and sent them running for their lives. Most of the delegates especially persons said to be loyal to the former Managing Director, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Chief Timi Alaibe, could not return to the venue.
The local government chairmen of the party in Sagbama, Ekeremor and Yenagoa, were reportedly attacked and wounded by the thugs.
Over 1300 policemen led by the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) were deployed in the venue to maintain the peace.
Most of the delegates were shut out of the exercise and were not allowed access to the venue of the primary.
The state Chairman of the party, Chief Tiwe Oruminighe, and some of his executive members were visibly angry at Alaibe and freely attacked him verbally.
Alaibe maintained his cool as he uttered no word.
When the accreditation of the delegates started, most persons who presented themselves for the exercise were said to be fake delegates in possession of cloned voter cards.
The Master of the Ceremony (MC) announced that some persons with cloned cards had been arrested and handed over to the police.
The governorship primary election of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Bayelsa State, ended in deadlock on Tuesday.
The exercise was marred by violence, thuggery, intimidation of some aspirants and meddlesomeness by some state party officials.
The Chairman of the Electoral Committee and Governor of Edo State, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, was held hostage and was later smuggled out of the venue by operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS) and soldiers.
It was gathered that the governor escaped the angry youths under the pretence that he was going to have his meal.
Trouble started in the morning before 8am, when thugs, suspected cultists and ex-militants invaded the entrance of Samson Siasia Sports Complex, Yenagoa, the venue of the exercise.
The thugs hurled stones at delegates who lined up to be screened for the exercise creating chaos and panic in the area.
The unruly crowd attacked the delegates and sent them running for their lives. Most of the delegates especially persons said to be loyal to the former Managing Director, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Chief Timi Alaibe, could not return to the venue.
The local government chairmen of the party in Sagbama, Ekeremor and Yenagoa, were reportedly attacked and wounded by the thugs.
Over 1300 policemen led by the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) were deployed in the venue to maintain the peace.
Most of the delegates were shut out of the exercise and were not allowed access to the venue of the primary.
The state Chairman of the party, Chief Tiwe Oruminighe, and some of his executive members were visibly angry at Alaibe and freely attacked him verbally.
Alaibe maintained his cool as he uttered no word.
When the accreditation of the delegates started, most persons who presented themselves for the exercise were said to be fake delegates in possession of cloned voter cards.
The Master of the Ceremony (MC) announced that some persons with cloned cards had been arrested and handed over to the police.
