Aniocha North PDP Boils Over Leadership Tussle

Fresh trouble over leadership tussle has erupted in the Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State People’s Democratic Party (PDP), leaving its chieftains in exchange of blows.

In shameful act, the party chieftains at Issele-Uku Headquarters of the council area on Tuesday, were literally locked in the web of shouting match that attracted passers-by including opposition All Progressives Congress members to the scene soon it degenerated into physical exchange of blows.

Although, the Aniocha North PDP Chairman, Prince Egune had described the shameful act as unfortunate, and ridiculous, but the crisis which led to the fight had refused to give way for peaceful co-existence among the party members.

It was reliably gathered that trouble started when a former APC Chieftain in the area defected to the party with his teeming supporters.

At the venue to welcome the defectors right inside the Aniocha Council Secretariat, supporters of the lawmaker (names withheld) representing Aniocha North Constituency who were said to have been dissatisfied with the insisting comment alleged made by the leader of the defectors, one Chief Calistus Nwanwolor in a furry took the microphone from the said Nwanwolor, leaving him and his fellow defectors in utter anger.

Eyewitness said while shouting match from both supporters of the lawmakers and the defectors lasted, dangerous weapons such as broken bottles, sticks rented the air as onlookers scampered for their dear lives including Mobile Policemen who maintained neutrality during the unfolding melee.

Confirming the incident, the leader of the defectors, Calistus Nwanwolor said: “I was just making my speech when one K.C Ugbolue with his gang members pounced on me, took the microphone from me, they dealt several blows on me, and my supporters responded, Ugbolue is an aide to the lawmaker representing Aniocha North constituency, Mr. Emeka Nwaobi, I have reported the matter to the State Chairman of the party”.

But in a swift reaction, KC Ugbolue dismissed the allegations as untrue, saying that Nwanwolor allegedly made heresy statements during which he was given the opportunity to speak as a leader the decampees.

Sources said there has been palpable fear of the unknown within the party in Aniocha North in the last few months, particularly allegations of leadership tussle, and fetish imbroglio among its members.

While the crisis seemed to have been unabated, party supporters feared that 2019 elections might be bloody in the area for “interest group” including ambition of Mr. Emeka Nwaobi to allegedly “Lord it over others.

The lawmaker described its “haughty” with alleged political abrasiveness, had in the last few months been swimming in troubled waters with leaders of the party, especially on his second term ambition.

He has been severally accused of using “fetish means” to intimidate those against him within the party, and as such had lost respect for some of the party elders.

But his media aide, Mr. Patrick Ochei in a swift reaction, dismissed as untrue, saying that those against the lawmakers were acting the scripts of their pay masters.

Speaking with journalists, the party chairman in the area, Prince Egune confirmed that suspected loyalists of the lawmakers descended on the defectors with dangerous weapons, adding that in a bid to put up defence by supporters of the defectors led to the exchange of blows.

Investigation revealed that party members of Aniocha North Local Government Area had been running inexplicable war far over what was described as wrong leadership; a situation that had also created bad blood among loyalists of various leaders of the party.

But Barr. Kingsley Esiso, the State Party Chairman, assured of peaceful co-existence4, warning that party members found wanting would be shown the way out.