Gun battle rocks Delta PDP Aniocha/Oshimili House of Reps primaries
…Party chieftains scamper for safety
Sporadic gun shots on Wednesday rocked Delta State People’s Democratic Party (PDP) primaries for Aniocha/Oshimili House of Representatives slots.
In a mild drama, the primaries held at Cenotaph along Okpanam Road in Asaba with large crowd of people, after voting by the delegates, and in the process of counting, suddenly turned horror as unsuspecting thugs allegedly hired by one of the aspirants (name withheld) invaded the venue with gun shots renting the air under the nose of security agents who also scampered from the scene for safety.
Expectedly, the PDP primaries aspirants included: Goodwin Ndudi Elumelu, two time House of Representatives member, Joan Onyemaochi Mrakpor, currently representing Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency, and one time Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Chief Peter Nwonsayan.
It was gathered that the results during counting was glaringly show in favour of Goodwin Ndudi Elumelu who was alleged to have properly “greased the palms” of the delegates with dollars to ensure his return, a situation Mrs Joan Mrakpor smelt a rat of failure after she was alleged to have spent fortunes on many of the delegates.
A delegate who spoke to Journalists on condition of anonymity said “the fight was between Mrakpor and Elumelu and the winning table was going in favour of Elumelu when the thugs invaded the venue with guns, shooting sporadically.
They both spent money to buy delegates, but Elumelu spent dollars on us hence the table changed in his favour”.
Some supporters of the party including Journalists who took to their heels during the gun battle, sustained injuries as they fell into potholes and stones after scaling the venue fence for safety.
Though the police responded immediately, but they were over powered by the thugs numbering over 50, and alleged senior cultists hired from Benin City Edo state and Ibusa near Asaba.
The state Commissioner of police, Mustafa Muhammad confirmed that six persons were arrested, adding “we will ensure perpetrators are brought to book, whoever involved will face the law, and the suspects will be charged to court”.
Chieftains of the party immediately disappeared from the scene while the party agents declined comments when Journalists sought comments from them.
Unconfirmed Sources said Mrs Mrakpor had three years ago allegedly created similar problem during primaries, a situation that ended in crisis, and was later declared a winner.
