The Police Command in Delta has confirmed that a chairmanship candidate died in the All Progressives Congress ward congresses in Ughelli South Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.
The command’s spokesman, Mr Andrew Aniamaka, said Mr Jeremiah Oghoveta, was stabbed to death during the exercise at Jeremi Ward 3, Okwagbe.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) learnt that the deceased was stabbed to death by one Tete Pippah.
Pippah was said to have attacked Ogheveta during an argument that ensued when the deceased accused him of hijacking the electoral materials meant for the congresses in the area.
It was further learnt that the deceased and the alleged assailant belonged to different factions of the party in the area.
Also, there were reported cases of ballot-box snatching during the exercise at Ogor and Orogun Wards 1 and 2 respectively in Ughelli North LGA.
It was reliably gathered that officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were not present for the exercise in Ward 5, Ovu in Ethiope LGA.
Authoritative sources told NAN that the leaders of the ward decided to conduct the election for the candidates, using Option A4 after waiting in vain for the INEC officials.
One of the three contestants for the chairmanship reportedly stepped down, leaving the contest for the other two candidates.
Reacting to the protest that greeted the outcome of the exercise, a former labour leader who is from the area, Chief Frank Kokori, told newsmen that the issue would be resolved amicably.
Acccording to him, the contestants are “brothers.”
Another chieftain of the party in the state, Chief O’tega Emerhor, described the exercise at Evwreni Ward 8, Ughelli North LGA, as peaceful.
According to him, APC is poised to entrench the principle of internal democracy in order to have a stronger party that can take over the state in 2019.
“Based on the reports that I have got concerning the exercise, things went on smoothly and peacefully,” he said. (NAN)
