*aspirants accuse one another
*congress supervisor goes into hiding
Pandemonium took over the Marble Arch Hotels premises in Awka Tuesday where
the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) leaders used as temporal
secretariat for the conduct of the run-off congress to elect delegates
for the governorship primary coming up Aug 24, 2013.
No fewer than 3 middle aged men were seriously injured in a shooting spree
at the Amawbia bye-pass, at a point near St Mathew
church as different thugs of governorship aspirants tried to out-do
each other in order to hijack the congress materials and officials
that were on their way to Anaocha LGA.
Barrister Ugochukwu Adileje, the Campaign Coordinator of Chief
Ugochukwu Okeke(a guber aspirant) who spoke to journalists on the spot
noted that he was in the convoy on their way to Anaocha when another
convoy of vehicles he identified to be from Nicholas Ukachukwu
Campaign organization intercepted them.
They resisted and in the process a fight broke out. He admitted they
were actually rescued by a passing armed police back-up attached to
another aspirant (Dr Tony Nwoye) who must have been alerted by their
official agent in the convoy came and saved the day.
Adileje accused the congress Supervisor appointed by the party of cavorting
with some aspirants before setting out on the mission. He disclosed
that the supervisor created all manner of bottlenecks on the way to
enable him actualize a private sinister agenda.
According to him, he alerted the Ebonyi state PDP chairman who was
directly in charge of the run-off congress in Central zone early in
the day when the supervisor moved to share out the result sheets
before they took off. The supervisor was then called to order and
later on their way, ordered the convoy to stop for no justifiable
reason. After intense argument to continue, the supervisor, acting as
if delaying for a purpose ordered a stop again, and it was then that a
group of men pounced on the convoy, broke the windscreen of the
particular vehicle with the materials. This was alongside intense
shootings but that they resisted them from disappearing with the
materials, even when guns were pointed on their heads.
At last they returned back to Marble Arch Hotels where the supervisor
again disappeared with the materials to an unamed Awka hotel where they
were allegedly writing the results of the yet-to-be-conducted
congress.
Adileje said he has already filed a petition.
Another polling agent of another aspirant, Chief Chidi Mbuba, from
Adazi Ani confirmed that he sustained injuries in the melee, while
those who were with serious injuries have been taken to a nearby
private hospital for treatment.
A similar scenario was reported in Anambra West LGA.
However the chairman of the congress said he would only comment when
they assemble and deliberate on the matter. But the supervisor has
since switched off his telephone.
The PDP Vice National Chairman Col Akobundu could not be reached for
his reaction as he was in a meeting.
Attempt to get the reaction of Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu , Tony Nwoye
and Alex Obiogbolu who were some of the aspirants at the Marblr arch
when the fights broke out failed as they maintained sealed lips.
