…ALAIBE STORMS OUT, REJECTS PROCESS<\/p>\n
The Samson Siasia Stadium in Yenagoa, venue of the All Progressives
\nCongress (APC) governorship primary, was turned to a battle ground today
\nas supporters of two leading governorship aspirants, Ndutimi Alaibe and
\nTimipre Sylva engaged themselves in violent clashes which left scores,
\nincluding Alaibe, injured. It was a pathetic sight to see a political
\nevent reduced to a combat.<\/p>\n
Governor Adams Oshiomhole who is the Chairman of the APC Primary Committee
\nwas swiftly whisked out of the venue when attackers were suspected to be
\nheading towards him.<\/p>\n
Investigations revealed that trouble started when it was discovered by
\nAlaibe and his supporters that accredited delegates from Brass, the local
\ngovernment of his arch-rival, Sylva, were far more than all delegates from
\nthe other local governments combined.\u00a0 It was in a bid to challenge what
\nwas seen as an anomaly by Alaibe and his supporters that a heated argument
\nensued resulting in a free- for- all fight between the opposing camps.<\/p>\n
In the process, Alaibe and many others sustained injuries. To demonstrate
\nhis anger and disapproval of the electoral process, Alaibe was also said
\nto have stormed out of the venue with his supporters in protest.<\/p>\n
Further investigation showed that many of those who participated in the
\nfracas were ordinarily not supposed to attend the primary because they
\nwere not delegates but came as an organized party of thugs and militants
\non both sides of Alaibe and Sylva to drum support for their respective
\nchoice of aspirants.<\/p>\n
The bloody violence in which all manner of weapons were freely used,
\nincluding broken bottles, cutlasses, knives and charms could have led to
\nloss of lives except for the quick intervention of the police and other
\nlaw enforcement agencies on ground.<\/p>\n
Even as the police used tear gas to repel elements seen as hired thugs,
\ncultists and militants, a number of the victims loyal to Alaibe complained
\nbitterly that they were stabbed by Sylva\u2019s men.<\/p>\n
All efforts by the Adams Oshiomhole committee responsible for the conduct
\nof the primary election to save the day proved abortive as Alaibe, in
\ncompany of his close associates, left the venue in obvious protest of the
\nsituation. Many of his supporters were also seen joining him in their
\nmass exit from the Samson Siasia stadium venue.<\/p>\n
Alaibe was said to be getting ready to address a press conference on the
\nissue later today.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, our findings also indicated that some of the governorship
\naspirants have stepped down for the former governor, Timipre Sylva. As at
\nthe time of filing this report, Sylva was leading in the number of votes
\ncast and likely to emerge winner.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
…ALAIBE STORMS OUT, REJECTS PROCESS The Samson Siasia Stadium in Yenagoa, venue of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary, was turned to a battle ground today as supporters of…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":42234,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-42233","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exclusive"],"yoast_head":"\n