LAGOS SEPTEMBER 23RD (URHOBOTODAY)-Governorship primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State started on a stormy note on Tuesday morning with protest by supporters of governorship aspirant, Timi Alaibe, who were denied access to the venue of the event.
Alaibe was also not allowed to enter the venue. He was seen at the gate with his supporters, creating a riotous scene.
It was a busy day for security personnel at the venue of the primary exercise as Alaibe’s supporters were seen engaging security men in arguments over the propriety of their action.
Many of the supporters were milling outside the gate shouting and making attempts to force their way into the venue but were disallowed.
Investigation revealed that Alaibe and his supporters were denied access because of the stunning allegation that they were not accredited delegates, a situation which led to hot exchanges and insinuations that the Timipre Sylva’s camp was behind their travails in a bid to manipulate the election.
With this development, there were indications that today’s primary will likely to be marred by crisis as the outcome will be dented by complaints of bias and thus those affected particularly the Alaibe group may reject the result.

“We will certainly reject the outcome of the primary if the situation does not change here today because this arrangement is skewed in favour of a particular aspirant”, one of the supporters stated.

As at the time of filing this report, the growing protest had become a source of worry to the Adams Oshiomhole-led panel charged with the responsibility of conducting the primary as frantic efforts were being made to get the aspirants and disgruntled delegates to calm down.
It was also observed that more security men were being deployed to the venue to forestall any possible breakdown of law and order as party thugs were said to have invaded the venue.
The Samson Siasia Stadium in Yenagoa, venue of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary, was on Tuesday turned to a battle field as supporters of two leading governorship aspirants, Timi Alaibe and Timipre Sylva engaged themselves in violent clashes which left scores, including Alaibe, injured.
“It was a pathetic sight to see a political event reduced to a combat”, said an eye witness.
Trouble was said to have started when it was discovered by Alaibe and his supporters that accredited delegates from Brass, the LG of his arch-rival, Sylva, were far more than all delegates from the other LGs combined.
It was in a bid to challenge what was seen as an anomaly by Alaibe and his supporters that a heated argument ensued resulting in a free- for- all between the opposing camps.
In the process, Alaibe and many others sustained injuries. To demonstrate his anger and disapproval of the electoral process, Alaibe was also said to have stormed out of the venue with his supporters in protest.
Further investigation showed that many of those who participated in the fracas were ordinarily not supposed to attend the primary because they were not delegates but came as organised party thugs and militants on both sides to drum support for their respective choice of aspirants.
The bloody violence in which all manner of weapons were freely used, including broken bottles, cutlasses, knives and charms could have led to loss of lives except for the quick intervention of the police and other law enforcement agencies on ground.
Even as the police used tear gas to repel elements seen as hired thugs and militants, a number of the victims loyal to Alaibe complained bitterly that they were stabbed by Sylva’s men.
All efforts by the Adams Oshiomhole committee responsible for the conduct of the primary election to save the day proved abortive as Alaibe, in company of his close associates, left the venue in obvious protest of the situation.
Many of his supporters were also seen joining him in their mass exit from the Samson Siasia stadium venue.
Alaibe was said to be getting ready to address a press conference on the issue later today.
Meanwhile, findings also indicated that some of the governorship aspirants have stepped down for the former governor, Timipre Sylva.
As at the time of filing this report, Sylva was leading in the number of votes cast and likely to emerge winner.
FRONTIERS