Edo State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon Jimoh Ijegbai, on Saturday fled for his life as suspected thugs invaded the venue for the Local Government congress of the All Progressive Congress in Owan East local government area.
There was heavy shooting as party supporters who had gathered to celebrate the outcome of the congress scampered for safety.
The fracas which occurred at Afuze happened when party leaders in the locality were having a meeting to arrive at a consensus list of local government executives.
It was learnt that the party leaders in Owan East had met on Friday night and agreed to go for harmonisation instead of going for election.
Party members who had gathered at the secretariat waiting for the outcome of the meeting were chased away even as a 75-year old man identified as was locked inside
There was sporadic gunshots at the Owan East Local Government secretariat, Afuze during the Local Government Congress election.
Two persons were injured in the process.
The lawmaker representing Owan Federal Constituency, Hon Pally Iriase, said the crisis was because some persons wanted to jettison the directive of the National Executive Council of the APC that all zoning arrangement should be maintained.
Iriase said no executive has emerged in Owan East as there was a stalemate in the meeting.
He said, “The sticky point is that a group is saying we must jettison the directives of NEC. I cannot see any reason why anybody should say we should re-zoned the position.
“The larger group of opinion here is that we cannot continue on the path of impunity. Retaining zoning formular worked out in the Ward congresses.”
Commissioner Ijegbai in a chat with newsmen said it was worrisome that Afuze that used to be peaceful has suddenly become a terrible place during election.
Ijegbai said there was no need for the fracas if all party leaders had toed the line of last Saturday ward congress where they all agreed on a consensus. ”The council chairman ordered that the party secretariat should not be opened. And before we got there, they locked that 75 year old man, Mr. Osain Isaiah inside the place almost suffocating to death. We have to mobilized and force the place open and we got the man out”, he said.
In Owan West, the APC held parallel congresses as Mr. Ojo Asein rejected the harmonised list by the faction loyal to Prof. Julius Ihonvbere.
Asein led some APC members to elect party executive at the local government council hall while Prof. Ihonvbere faction held at Avbiosi village.
In other parts of the State, the local government congresses were peaceful as party leaders agreed on consensus and harmonisation.
Mr. Ogbejele Idojei was elected chairmen of Esan North East local government.
Leader of the party in the locality, Prince Joe Okojie said the peaceful congress has shown that the party has been repositioned for electoral victory.
Prince Okojie said the party members were happy that they were carried along during the consensus arrangement.
Speaking on the exercise, the lawmaker representing Egor/Ikpoba-Okha Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Mr. Johnson Agbonayinma, commended the party for the decision.
Agbonayinma said, “Members of the APC have spoken; this (consensus) is what they want, without fights and gunshots. Having a consensus is also acceptable in a democracy and this what has happened.
“We accept it in good faith and we appreciate our leaders. I think this is a step in the right direction.”
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