Shooting began when incumbent member of the House Mrs. Amaechi Mrakpor allegedly disrupted counting of votes after she had scored 226…

Paul Osuyi, Asaba and Geoffrey Anyanwu, Awka

Sporadic shooting rocked venues of the senatorial and House of Representatives primaries of the All Progressive Congress (APC), the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Delta and Anambra states, yesterday.

In Delta State, heavy shooting erupted at the venue of the House of Representatives primaries for Aniocha/Oshimili constituency of the PDP in Asaba.

READ ALSO: One killed in APC senatorial primary as shooting mars Delta PDP primaries

Shooting began when incumbent member of the House Mrs. Amaechi Mrakpor allegedly disrupted counting of votes after she had scored 226 with bulk of uncounted ballots for her opponent, Mr. Ndudi Elumelu.

Also, the senatorial primaries of the APC for Delta North was disrupted by students of the Federal College of Education (Technical), Asaba following the alleged killing of one student by the police.

News of the killing of the 200-level student of Industrial Technical Education jolted the contestants, including wife of former national chairman of the PDP, Mrs. Nneamaka Ali, former member of House of Representatives, Mrs. Doris Uboh and Mr. Gabriel Oyibode.

Speaker of the Student Union Government, Onochie Vincent Ubani said the union leaders cashed in on the opportunity of the election to boost internally generated revenue by collecting N100 from hawkers who stormed the place to make brisk business.

As the collection was ongoing, Ubani said they heard gunshots and later discovered one of the student lying in the pool of his own blood.

As result of the incident, the exercise was disrupted, as angry students invaded the place and chase out party officials, delegates and others.

Commissioner of Police, Mustafa Mohammad confirmed that one person died at the APC senatorial primaries, adding that his men were sorting things out as regard the shooting at the PDP primaries.

In Ekwulobia Township Stadium, venue of the APGA Anambra South Senatorial primary election, gunmen allegedly sponsored by an aggrieved aspirant reportedly attacked the venue. He was said to have pulled a short gun, a development which saw delegates scampering for safety.

READ ALSO: APGA primary: Orumba aspirants kicks against result, demand new date

It took the intervention of the Commissioner of Police, Garba Umar, who led team of policemen to disperse the thugs.

The development halted the exercise temporarily, until about 5.30 p.m. when accreditation commenced. However, the exercise was again disrupted following reappearance of the thugs.

Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu, Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu and son of a first republic aviation minister, Ikenna Mbazuluike-Amaechi are contending for the ticket.

APGA had on Tuesday disqualified oil magnate, Ifeanyi Uba, for not obtaining a waiver to contest the election.

Similarly, the PDP House of Representatives primary in Ihiala could not hold as the returning officer allegedly fled with electoral materials.

Also, confusion trailed the senatorial primary of the APC in Anambra South as one of the aspirants, Azuka Okwuosa complained that as at 4pm, he and the delegates could not locate the venues for the primary.

Meanwhile, member representing Onitsha/South Constituency in the House of Representatives, Lynda Ikeazu was returned unopposed as a sole candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

Lynda, who would be contesting for the third time in 2019, was affirmed by the 272 delegates’ votes at Onitsha Sports Club.

Also, former deputy governor of Anambra State. Dr. John Emeka was yesterday affirmed sole candidate for Anambra North Senatorial District on the platform of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA).

Emeka was returned unopposed by delegates’ votes at Chuba Ikpeazu Stadium, Onitsha, which was monitored by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agents.

However, no fewer than three delegates reportedly died in an auto crash in Keana Local government area of Nasarawa State shortly after the just concluded APC governorship primary election in the state.

APC chairman in Keana LGA, Mr. Abraham Ishaleku, who confirmed the incident, said 10 persons were involved in the accident. Six others reportedly sustained various degrees of injuries.

Three of the survivors have been transferred to the National Hospital, Abuja.

Gun attack on Ekere’s home

Two days after his nomination as the gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom State, Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Obong Nsima Ekere, yesterday morning narrowly escaped an assassination attempt at his house in Ewet Housing Estate, Uyo.

READ ALSO: Akpabio hails Ekere for supporting APC membership registration drive, disputes resolution

Obong Ekere was meeting party leaders in the nearby residence of the Managing Director of the Oil and Gas Free Zones

Authority, Mr Umana Umana, when a bullet, clearly targeted at him, was fired into his upstairs bedroom where his wife and sister were at the time.

Following a distress call from his wife, Obong Ekere, accompanied by party leaders, rushed home to the scene of the incident.

The scene was subsequently cordoned off and the expended bullet taken away by security agents following the visit of the State Commissioner of Police, Mr Adeyemi Ogunjemilusi and some personnel from the Police and Department of State Security (DSS). Addressing a press conference later, Obong Ekere said the incident was very disturbing coming at the beginning of the electioneering season and shortly after an attack on the residence of former Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio, following Akpabio’s defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He appealed to the Inspector-General of Police and the DSS Director-General to take a serious look at the security situation in the state and the attempt on his life.

APC state Caucus Chairman, Chief Don Etiebet, described the assassination attempt on Obong Ekere as callous, sad and untoward and called on security agencies to thoroughly investigate it.

He also condemned the several attacks on APC members by suspected PDP thugs and warned that APC members may be forced to engage in self defence if the attacks continued unchecked.

The APC state Chairman, Ini Okopido, said the party was shocked that “we just nominated
a candidate two days ago and they came here to kill him today.”