BREAKING!!! Death Toll Climbs in APC Governorship Primaries Shoot-out (Graphic Photos)
Atleast two people have been confirmed dead in the Akwa Ibom state, All Progressives Congtess, APC governorship Primary election following controversy surrounding alleged hijack of sensitive election materials for the poll.
The Victim
IGBERE TV has learnt that in Uruan, armed thugs suspected to be in the payroll of the Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Mr. Nsima Ekere, shot an APC faithful, Ukeme Efanga, while trying to hijack materials for the governorship primary. The victim died on the spot.
Eyewitnesses told IGBERE TV that Efanga, was shot at close range as he was trying to resist the hijack of these materials. This sad news was corroborated by an APC chieftain and senatorial hopeful, Hon. KufrebAbasi Etuk via a post on his Facebook timeline.
In Ikot Ekpene, materials for the Governorship primaries meant for the area were diverted to an unknown destination.
According to Hon. Patty Etette, former federal lawmaker and an APC chieftain, “the location of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Ikot Ekpene Division who took over the materials from the APC State Secretariat is unknown as at the time of sending this report”.
“Materials for Ikot Ekpene , Essien Udim and Obot Akara for APC gubernatorial primaries for Akwa ibom state hijacked by suspected militants at gun point”, he added.
Etette accused the Police of connivance, saying “APC elders and adherents are incidenting the alleged theft and PDP hijacking old habits that our new comers so called have reintroduced to APC at the Ikot Ekpene Police Area Command and the Divisional Police Office”.
“We thought that as they where coming into our party they had promised to turn a new leaf? Who are they really afraid of? You go about deceiving hapless National Officers that you are on ground and have all APC members, including a non existent membership force which are supposed to have defected from the PDP to APC so why still hijack electoral materials for a mere party congress? What about the main ELECTIONS where we have to face PDP? you still want Hijack?” He queried.
He posted on his Facebook timeline the pictures of stranded supporters, who turned up at the Ikot Ekpene Police Division, but saw no sign of materials.
In Uyo, the state capital, a supporter of Senator J. J. Udoedeghe, one Emmanuel Asuquo, was shot dead following sporadic gunshots by armed thugs escorted by security agents along Ikot Ekpene Road, close to state secretariat of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
The unfortunate incident occurred as agents and supporters of gubernatorial aspirants resist attempts by armed thugs and party officials to divert sensitive materials meant for the governorship primary in parts of Eket and Uyo senatorial districts.
According an eye witness who spoke to IGBERE TV, there was a heated argument between agents and supporters of gubernatorial aspirants of APC and some armed men escorting party officials and sensitive materials from the party Secretariat.
“Trouble started when agents of Mr. Nsima Ekere were allowed to enter the convoy escorted by Police while other agents were ordered not to follow.
This directive was vehemently rejected as supporters of other aspirants raised alarm, accusing party officials and the Police of plotting to divert sensitive materials.
“Tempers were running high from the ensuing argument as agents and supporters of the former senator blocked the road, asking the Police to either accept agents of other aspirants to join the convoy or ask Nsima Ekere’s agents to step down”.
Our source revealed that at this point, one of the armed thugs began making calls after which he spoke to his colleagues. Immediately, they began cocking their guns threateningly while the policemen looked on. This seems to infuriate the youths the more.
“One of the agents attempted to force open the door of one of the cars when the leader of the armed gang opened fire and others started shooting sporadically”, she stated.
In a related development, a group of armed thugs led by Professor Chris Ekong, stormed Afaha Offot primary school, Abak Road to hijack materials. This is part of the network of deadly squads mobilized across the state and sponsored by the Managing Director of NDDC, Nsima Ekere to ensure his emergence.
It was gathered that strategy for hijacking materials for the primary, using armed thugs became a last resort for Ekere’s group when it was clear that he would not be accepted as a consensus candidate. The decision was taken in a meeting, Saturday night at Sen. Godswill Akpabio’s residence in Ukana, where Ekere directed his Special Assistant on Security Matters, Mr. Uyio Nathaniel, to mobilize thugs ahead of the primary.
On Sunday, at the state APC Secretariat, some of the thugs were seen wearing bullet proof vest and mingling freely with police officers. A party chieftain confided in this reporter that the primary had already been rigged to favour Ekere.
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