Published on November 29, 2014 By Greenbarge Reporters
The primary election for the Kogi State House of Assembly held across the 21 Local government areas is now tearing the ruling Peoples Democratic Party in the state even as a thug who came with a gun and allegedly wanted to assassinate a Local government Council Chairman from the Eastern part of the state was arrested by security agencies. The local government chairman was said to have gone with the electoral materials.
Thugs and loyalists of aspirants who came to mount guard against possible high jack and diversion of election materials protested to no avail.
An aspirant for the House of Representatives in the struggle to gain access to the materials was said to have collapsed as he was outsmarted by opponents. The situation was said to be the survival of the fittest as materials were smuggled out of the secretariat by the strongest.
The primary election for the Lokoja 1 and 2 took place at the Student amusement park amidst security surveillance mounted by the police and other security agencies.
There were skirmishes at the entrance to the PDP secretariat as some thugs snatched vehicles leaving many with broken windscreens.
An aspirant for Okene 1 constituency, Abdulrasheed Adabara Ovosi in a press briefing in Lokoja expressed disappointment with the turnout of the primary whereby imposition was the order despite earlier assurances that there would be primary election.
He said the peace in Okene was very fragile warning the PDP not to do anything that would jeopardize their chances in the general election.
Ovosi who said he was speaking on behalf of other aggrieved aspirants asked the Governor to be honourable and allow the votes of the people to count. He said the opposition APC is waiting in the wings to catch in on the lapses.
Another aggrieved PDP stalwart from Ogorimagongo, Retired Major Abraham Sodje said they were also disappointed as a group loyal to one of the aspirant snatched the materials from the returning officer.
He said the PDP leadership has given them assurance that the election in the constituency would be cancelled.
The PDP chairman said the skirmishes noticed were normal in any primary election saying that after all there was no blood that was spilled.
On the diversion of materials complaints of which were rampart he said any primary election with such allegation would be cancelled, stressing: ‘it is not acceptable at all.”
One of the aggrieved aspirants who spoke in the crowd said the Chairman knows all about the snatching and smuggling, adding that he was only trying to defend his heinous activities with such comments.
The screening committee later sneaked out of the Party secretariat claiming that the party chairman told them to leave as he cannot guarantee their safety
In Kabba bunu and ijumu local government areas, the accreditation of delegates started late while voting commenced about 5 pm on a peaceful note.
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