Party stakeholders and delegates escaped attack on Saturday as the Enugu State Congress of the All Progressives Congress, APC, ended in a fiasco.
DAILY POST reports that acreditation of delegates were midway when some thugs stormed the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, venue of the congress and chased party members away.
Our correspondent reports that members of the congress committee and INEC officials would have been mobbed by the suspected thugs. It took the prompt intervention of security agencies before they were rescued and taken out of the chaotic venue.
Prominent members of the party, including, former Senate President, Chief Ken Nnamani, ex Governor of Enugu State, Barr. Sullivan Chime, national vice chairman of the party, Mr. Emma Eneukwu, the Director General of the Voice of Nigeria, Mr. Osita Okechukwu, the State’s party chairman, Dr. Ben Nwoye, a party chieftain, Emperor Baywood Ibe and other members ran for their lives as the violence erupted.
It was gathered that driver to the party chairman, Nwoye, is currently in hospital following attack by the thugs.
Nigeria’s foreign affairs minister, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama was also there at the time of the incident.
The violence, which was accompanied by sporadic gunshots by security operatives, occurred few minutes after the minister arrived the venue.
Signal that all may not end well was visible in the morning as two warring groups in the party stormed the venue.
Unlike the local government and ward congresses, which the groups held at different venues, it was a different thing this time as they both stormed the stadium early morning with their supporters.
The camp loyal to Onyeama returned to the same venue to hold a factional Congress.
DAILY POST reports that the said Congress came after the minister had expressed disaffection with the process.
He told journalists immediately the thugs chased away the congress committee members, INEC officials and party stakeholders that “we came in for change and the most cardinal thing is to have free and fair elections, for the people to speak.”
On her part, SSA to President Muhammadu Buhari on Justice Reform, Mrs. Juliet Ibekaku vowed that there would not be any congress in the state until election materials were provided.
“We want free and fair election. No congress is holding because they don’t want any election to hold today in Enugu State. So there is no congress holding in Enugu today,” she said.
It is still unclear why they later held the reported factional congress.
As of the time of filing this report, DAILY POST learnt that stakeholders of the party in the State are in a crucial meeting to determine the next line of action.