Many persons were injured on Monday when the supporters of the Imo State Deputy Governor, Eze Madumere, and those of the son-in-law to Governor Rochas Okorocha, Uche Nwosu, fought at a political meeting.
The incident occurred at the council hall of the Mbaitoli Local Government Area, at Nworubi, Madumere’s home town.
Supporters of Nwosu had reportedly gone to the venue to endorse him to run for the 2019 governorship election.
However, followers of “I believe Movement,” which is pro-Nwosu; and supporters of the deputy governor attacked one another immediately the mission of the visitors were announced.
According to an indigene of the LGA who was at the meeting, the visitors had sent them a text message, inviting members of the public to a gathering without stating the agenda.
“Members of ‘I believe Movement’ took us for granted. They came to our Local Government Area to endorse the governor’s son-in-law, as against our son who is the deputy governor of the state”, the witness told Punch.
“They want to use us to score a political point against the deputy governor, who is our son. The annoying aspect is that they didn’t inform us why they invited us.
“Immediately we realised what their plan was, we told them categorically that we were supporting our son, who is the deputy governor, for the governorship election.
“They started shouting ‘I believe Movement in support of Uche Nwosu;’ and we started shouting ‘Madumere.’They picked offence and started fighting us.
“Our people regrouped and came to the hall to save us. They started using stones, bottles and other weapons on us,” he added.
