By Okey Maduforo Awka.
About eight persons were feared to have sustained several degrees of injury following a clash between the supporters of two Frontline governorship aspirants of the All Progressives Congress APC during the accreditation of delegates for the Saturday primary election of the party.
However the duo of Ukachukwu and Prof Obiora Okonkwo supporters traded blames over the incident alleging that the other drew the first blood at the Beautiful Gate hotel at Agu Awka in Awka South local government area.
Trouble started at about 10:37 a.m, at the hotel gate which was reportedly had reportedly been taken over by Ukachukwu’s private security operatives and suspected thugs, what the support from security personnel at the venue and began to prevent accredited delegates without Ukachukwu’s campaign identification from accessing the venue.
But one of the members of Ukachukwu campaign organization Chief Bunty Onuigbo dismissed the allegation contending that the supporters of Obiora Okonkwo came in a crowd of thugs and began to beat up the supporters of Ukachukwu which led to the fiscuf.
“It is not true the story that you a telling because everything was going on peacefully when the supporters of Obiora Okonkwo stormed here and began to attack everyone and disrupting the process” he said.
However one of Obiora Okonkwo campaign organization when gave his name as Chukwuma contended that the gate was barricaded, and only individuals carrying Ukachukwu-branded ID cards were allowed entry.
“Delegates supporting other aspirants were turned away, harassed, and in some cases, physically assaulted”
One male delegate whose name was given as Nduche from Ndiowu in Orumba North local government area was visibly rough-handled by the attackers in full view of security personnel and other delegates.
“This is a serious matter,” said one observer who asked not to be named due to safety concerns.
“It’s not just thuggery anymore; there appears to be active collusion with security forces meant to protect us.
“The APC leadership must act decisively to ensure the safety of delegates and uphold the credibility of the process.
“This kind of thuggery cannot be allowed to go unchecked.”he said.
Dr Valentine Oliobi, the Anambra State Publicity Secretary of the APC, who confirmed the incident saying;
“Yes, it is true. Delegates are being stopped at the gate by Nicholas Ukachukwu’s people, and the police are cooperating with them. It is not what the party stands for,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of Ozigbo, campaign spokesperson Ephraim Adiele decried what he called an attempt to “hijack the primary” through intimidation and force.
“We reject the politics of violence and call for a level playing field,” Adiele said.
“Clearly, Nicholas Ukachukwu is seeking to hijack the primary. It cannot stand. The leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) should act now to prevent crisis.”
Reacting to the incident the Police Public Relations Officer SP Tochikwu Ikenga said that there has been any report before his table adding that officers and men of the Command were property briefed before they were deployed to all the venues of the primary elections .
“The Command before the deployment of officers and men were properly briefed and educated on the rules of engagement and as I speak to you there is no report yet before my office on the incident” he explained.
