Tension erupted at the APC House of Representatives primary election collation centre in Delta State on Saturday after angry Party members and supporters staged a protest over alleged manipulation of the results.
The drama unfolded during the primary election for the Isoko Federal Constituency, conducted across Isoko North and Isoko South Local Government Areas, as accusations of bias and electoral irregularities threw the exercise into confusion.
According to reports, the crisis began when the Delta State Commissioner for Power and Energy, Michael Ifeanyi Anoka, who served as the returning officer, moved to announce the outcome of the primary.
At that point, House of Representatives aspirant, Dickson Ebegbare, openly challenged the process, accusing the returning officer of attempting to impose the incumbent lawmaker, Jonathan Ukodhiko, as winner despite alleged irregularities recorded in several wards.
Ebegbare insisted he won in many polling areas and claimed the exercise had been compromised.
“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,” he said.
“I know I won the primary, everyone knows 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.”
Moments after his protest, furious supporters stormed the collation centre at Ekpre Otobo Hall in Isoko South, forcing the Returning Officer, government officials, Ukodhiko, and his supporters to flee the venue and seek refuge at the residence of the Isoko South Chairman.
Despite repeated attempts to announce the result under heavy security presence, Ebegbare’s supporters resisted every move to declare Ukodhiko winner.
The standoff reportedly lasted for several hours as the Returning Officer hesitated to make any official declaration amid fears of possible attacks.
The deadlock was eventually broken around 6:40 p.m. after the Chairman of Isoko North Local Government, Godwin Ogorugba, the Isoko South Chairman, Friday Warri, and Delta State Commissioner for Health, Joseph Onojaeme, reportedly insisted that the result be announced.
Sources said Anoka later returned to the venue alongside the officials and eventually declared Ukodhiko winner of the primary before quickly leaving the area.
Following the announcement, Ebegbare and his supporters launched another round of protests, further escalating tensions around the disputed APC primary election in Delta State.
