A combined photo of APC flags and chairman, Prof. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda
By Victory Oghene
Two supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) were shot dead in Lagos and Plateau States over the weekend at the party’s primaries.
The primary elections for aspirants vying for seats in the House of Representatives across the country over the weekend.
On Saturday in Lagos, a yet-to-be-identified APC supporter was shot dead while several others sustained injuries during a violent clash that erupted at the APC primary election in the Ikotun area of Lagos State.
The incident reportedly occurred during the party’s primary election held at a primary school in the Ile-Iwe, Egbe area of the community.
A resident who craved for anonymity citing security reasons said that the exercise was going on peacefully before an argument allegedly broke out among rival supporters at the venue. This was said to have led to chaos and violence adding that gunshots later rang out during the disruption.
The resident said, “The primary held in a primary school at the Ile-Iwe area of Ikotun Egbe. The exercise was ongoing when an argument suddenly broke out among some supporters.
“The situation later degenerated and people started running for safety. In the process, gunshots were heard and one person was hit. Some others were also injured during the confusion.”
“After the gunshots, people started jumping fences and hiding in nearby houses. It was later that we heard that one person was killed while others sustained injuries,”
He further explained that the injured victim was rushed out of the venue but later died on the way to the hospital.
“The victim was rushed out after he was shot, but we learnt he later died. It created serious tension around the venue because many people were afraid,” he added.
In Plateau, another supporter was reportedly killed at the venue of the APC House of Representatives primary election in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State following a confrontation between youths and security personnel over delays in the exercise.
The deceased, identified as Sani Abdullahi, a resident of Kasuwan Ali community in Mangu Local Government Area, was reportedly shot during the chaos that erupted at the primary election venue.
Eyewitness Ibrahim Sale said the trouble began when party members and supporters protested the delay in the commencement of the exercise, which was scheduled for Saturday morning.
According to him, the disruption followed the failure of returning officers to arrive on time, which stalled the electoral process.
“The exercise was supposed to hold on Saturday morning, but it did not take place due to the absence of returning officers. So the youths started protesting, alleging that the delay was deliberate,” Sale said.
He further explained that tensions escalated when government officials who had come to observe the exercise left the venue due to the absence of electoral officers.
“As this was going on, government officials who came to witness the exercise decided to leave because of the absence of the electoral officers,” he said.
Sale added that some aggrieved youths blocked the exit route, insisting that the officials should not leave until electoral officers arrived to conduct the primary.
“The youths insisted that they would not leave until electoral officers arrived and conducted the primary,” he said.
According to him, the situation worsened when security personnel were deployed to disperse the protesting youths.
“This drew the attention of security personnel, who moved in to disperse them,” Sale said.
He said the confrontation escalated when some youths began throwing stones at the security operatives, prompting a response that led to gunfire.
“As soon as the security personnel arrived, the youths started throwing stones at them. The security personnel then started shooting, and a stray bullet hit the victim, killing him,” he said.
Party officials were yet to issue an official statement regarding the incident as of press time.
