- Wike’s, Fubara’s Supporters Clash at Obio-Akpor
- Many Elected Chairmen Shun office over Fear of Attack
Fresh violence has erupted in parts of Rivers State following the conduct of Saturday’s local government council elections that were won by the relatively unknown All Peoples Party backed by Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
The Eleme Local Government secretariat was rocked by an explosion, which sparked a fire that gutted a substantial section of the building and equipment around the facility.
In Obio-Akpor LGA, supporters of Governor Fubara and those of Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike clashed at the LGA secretariat at about 8 a.m. on Monday.
Eyewitnesses said the clash was punctuated by sustained exchange of heavy gunfire by the groups at the council secretariat.
It was gathered that unknown gunmen attacked the secretariat and held people in the council hostage for hours.
“Wike’s supporters and Fubara’s supporters clashed on Monday morning. They brandished dangerous weapons and cutlasses,” one source said.
Although the Minister’s supporters were overpowered in the initial face-off, there were fears that their opponents were mobilising for reprisal attack at the time of this report.
It was further gathered that machete sellers at the Rumokoro Market in the area had a busy morning as youths trooped to the scene to purchase different kinds of cutlasses, knives and battle axes as they prepared for further showdown.
Situation reports from many other councils revealed that the newly inaugurated executive members of various councils, including Emuoha and Ikwerre LGA are not able to assume office due to security concerns.
In Ikwerre LGA, it was gathered that the former Chairman of the council resumed the office, despite the election and inauguration of a new council boss at the weekend.
The election, which was mostly peaceful, was boycotted by the major political parties – the APC and PDP – that got an injunction from Abuja High Court to stop the process.
The State Secretariat of the APC was bombed just hours before the election on Saturday, morning, while armed civilians provided security at election venues, raising specter of breakdown of law and order in the state.
