The ongoing primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been fraught with controversy in different parts of the country.
In Niger State, some persons sustained injuries at Lemu, the Headquarters of Gbako Local Government Area.
Daily Trust gathered that the Primaries which started late could not be completed in Gbako Local following the violence that broke out between supporters of two frontline aspirants – Alhaji Gimba Tswatagi and Alhaji Nma Busokun.
It was gathered that exercise stopped abruptly as electoral officials fled when the supporters attacked one another with dangerous weapons.
However, the primaries in Lavun, Edati, Mokwa, Shiroro, Chanchaga, Bosso, Gurara among other Local Government Areas were reported to be peaceful.
In Ogun State, confusion, delay and alleged kidnapping of delegates which dogged the exercise.
The primaries the State House of Assembly and House of Representatives, could not hold in the centres designated for the five legislative seats over alleged security threat.
They legislative seats are, Abeokuta North State Constituency, Abeokuta South I and II State Constituencies, Abeokuta South Federal Constituency and Abeokuta North/Odeda/Obafemi-Owode Federal Constituency.
As at 6: 45pm, the exercise, was marred by disagreement, on the list of delegates and other allegations of manipulation.
The exercise was scheduled to start by 10:00am.
The committee sent by the national leadership of the party reportedly arrived the state capital around 2pm and dispatched materials at about 4pm.
At It’s Ogboni Ijeja, venue of the primary for Abeokuta South Constituency II, the PDP primary election official, Abimbola Ademuyiwa, said there was disagreement earlier in the day by party members which almost resulted in free for all among supporters of aspirants.
Ademuyiwa, disclosed that only 24 delegates, were expected to vote for one of the three aspirants but disagreement that ensued caused the delay.
The situation was the same at the Centenary Hall, Ake, venue of the primary for the Abeokuta I.
Daily Trust reports that some aggrieved party members had conducted the primaries in some centres in Abeokuta metropolis, but the panel was said to have voided the exercise “because it was not monitored by the officials.”
Our correspondent who visited the party secretariat at about 7:40pm, observed the party officials concluding the primaries for the State House of Assembly.
There was heavy security presence within and outside the secretariat as the exercise was in progress.
Daily Trust reports that the committee started the House of Representatives primaries for the two seats in Abeokuta metropolis around 8:20pm.
Findings from other part of the state indicated that the House of Representatives primaries did not start until 8pm.
Rotimi George Taylor, an aspirant for Abeokuta North/ Odeda/Obafemi-Owode federal constituency admitted that the exercise was marred by confusion, delay and multiple delegates list.
Taylor also alleged kidnapping of delegates by some aspirants in order to coerce them to vote for them during the primaries.
“The major problem is the kidnapping of delegates. You cannot kidnap delegates from morning till evening and nobody can communicate with them. What do we know has transpired?
“I think people should be allowed to come in and take their decisions,” he said.
The State Secretary of PDP, Sunday Solarin, told newsmen that the primaries in Abeokuta metropolis were moved to the party secretariat for security reasons.
He also denied allegation of delegates’ kidnapping.
“Nobody was kidnapped. We didn’t have incident of kidnapping anywhere. You know sometimes politicians can behave very funny. Aspirants who don’t have spirit of sportsmanship may begin to raise different allegations,” Solarin.
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