A protest erupted on Saturday at the collation centre for the All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Representatives primary election for the Isoko federal constituency over alleged irregularities.
The primary election held in the two Isoko North and Isoko South Local Government Areas of Delta State.
It was learnt that as the Delta State Commissioner for Power and Energy, Michael Ifeanyi Anoka, who was the returning officer for the primary election, was about to announce the results, a House of Representatives aspirant, Dickson Ebegbare, raised an observation.
Ebegbare, who accused the returning officer of bias, alleged that despite all obvious indications that the primary election was marred with irregularities in some wards while he won in so many wards against the incumbent, Jonathan Ukpdhiko, Anoka was bent on declaring Ukpdhiko as the winner against the wish of the people.
Shortly after Ebegbare’s call not to declare the incumbent house of Representatives member, representing Isoko federal constituency in the green chamber, Ukodhiko, angry party members and supporters of Ebegbare embarked on open protest at the Ekpre Otobo hall, Isoko South, venue of the collation center.
“Enough is enough, we have been fooled enough. Let the right thing be done. We will not accept, we will not allow the declaration of the results unless the right thing is done. I know I won the primary, everyone know that I won the primary and I will not allow anybody to rob me of my victory. I will not allow the returning officer to declare Ukodhiko the winner. Because this is fraud and unacceptable.”, Ebegbare said.
The protest forced government the returning officer, government officials as well as Ukodhiko and his followers out of the hall and take refuge at the Isoko South chairman’s quarters.
Several attempts were made to announce Ukodhiko as the winner amid tight security but Ebegbare and his supporters vehemently resisted all attempts insisting that they will not allow any form of announcement declaring Ukpdhiko the winner.
For several hours of dilly-dallying, the returning officer who was afraid of possible attacks, should he declare Ukodhiko the winner, could not make any pronouncement until 6:40pm when the chairman of Isoko North council, Godwin Ogorugba, his Isoko South counterpart, Friday Warri and the commissioner for health, Joseph Onojaeme, stood their grounds that the results should be declared.
It was learnt that the returning officer who was accompanied by Ogorugba, Onojaeme, Warri, and few others to the venue, later declared the incumbent, Ukodhiko as the winner of the primary and immediately they deserted the area while Ebegbare and his supporters embarked on another round of protest. (SaharaReporters)
