Violence mars APC Reps primaries in Lagos

As the elections is going on ...
The Federal House of Representatives primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC) held in Lagos on Sunday recorded violence in Mushin and Ifako/Ijaiye areas of the state.
In Mushin, suspected thugs went on rampage when the voting commenced, damaging some property in the process.
They also smashed windshields of vehicles parked close to the APC Secretariat, Layi Oyekanmi in Mushin, venue of the election.
It was gathered that violence erupted when some thugs outside the venue allegedly got information that voting was not going in favour of a particular aspirant.
A source who spoke to Daily Independent from the venue, disclosed that the thugs went on rampage with the intention of disrupting the voting process.
“Some of the thugs just stormed the venue and started harassing people. They went to the extent of smashing windscreens of vehicles.
“The situation was later returned to normalcy after men of the Department of State Security (DSS) came in; they were able to disperse the thugs,” the source said.

The member representing Mushin Constituency II in the Lagos State House of Assembly, Bolaji Ayinla, won the primary in Mushin with 141 votes; Dr. Samuel Omosule polled 72; Yayah Ismael polled 57, while Omolara Wakilat scored only 3 votes.
In Ifako/Ijaiye, thugs stormed the local government area office, venue of the primary and attempted to disrupt the process.
Daily Independent learnt that the thugs belonged to one of the contestants, who envisaged that the outcome of the primary will not be in his favour.
Elijah Adewale, popularly referred to as Jah, who won the primary,  scored 218 votes, Moroof Adefolabi polled 76, Michael Ogunnusi polled 89, former Chairman of Ifako Ijaiye Local Government, Demola Doherty scored only 1 vote.
Elsewhere, former Chairman of Apapa Local Government, Ayodeji Joseph beat the incumbent member of the House of Representatives, Babatunde Adewale; just as the former Chairman of Orile-Agege Local Council Development Area, Taofeeq Adaranijo, beat the incumbent member, Babatunde Adejare, to clinch the Agege ticket.
In Akwa Ibom State, some aggrieved aspirants to the House of Representatives under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) launched protests over what they described as irregularities in the conduct of the primaries concluded at the weekend.
Our correspondent who monitored the primaries at the party secretariat along Edet Akpan Avenue, Uyo, said the security forces drafted to ensure hitch-free polls had hectic time controlling the crowd including thugs hired by some aspirants to protect their interests.
Results of the nine out of the 10 Federal Constituencies were however released amid complaints of irregularities and threats by some aspirants to petition Governor Godswill Akpabio over allegations of imposition of candidates and employment of fake delegates’ list for the contest.
In Itu\Ibiono Ibom Federal Constituency, for instance, violence was averted by security agencies when some political leaders of Ibiono Ibom, including the former Commissioner for Finance, Obong Bassey Albert, engaged his successor and kinsman, Akan Okon, from Itu Local Government, in altercation over who should collect the ballot materials meant for their constituency.
A former Transition Chairman of Itu and current candidate for Itu State Constituency in the coming House of Assembly, Idongesit Ituen, was spotted struggling to prevent Albert and Senator Ita Enang, also from Ibiono, from conveying the materials on their private SUV vehicle, for fear of being diverted in favour of their aspirants.
“What makes you think you are better than me?” Albert had told Okon in the melee
“Election materials must be kept on the ground,”one of the aggrieved aspirants had fumed at the PDP secretariat as the atmosphere became charged immediately the party chair, Obong Paul Ekpo, distributed the materials to the designated polling locations.
It took the intervention of Ekpo and Senator Anietie Okon, a PDP chieftain from Itu, for the matter to settle before security operatives conveyed the materials to the Uyo Stadium, venue of the contest.
At the Ikot Ekpene Federal Constituency, there were parallel elections at the Ukana Mobile Police Base in Essien Udim and the Constituency office in Ikot Ekpene, where two candidates emerged after the polls.
While the Governor’s choice, Emmanuel Akpan, emerged at the Ukana Essien Udim centre, Saviour Udoh, the incumbent representative of the Federal Constituency was declared winner at the Ikot Ekpene centre.
Addressing journalists on Sunday, Udoh, who is seeking a return to the House, accused the governor of using his personal delegates’ list to conduct the exercise at the Ukana Mobile Police Base.
He also accused the governor of using the authentic list approved by the National Working Committee (NWC) of PDP, duly signed by the secretary, Mustapha Abdullahi, to stage a parallel poll at the constituency.
It was gathered that the Governor’s wife had before the contest, camped several women as delegates to the congress and were expected to deliver government approved aspirants.
At the stadium, the matter was said to have degenerated to full exchange of fisticuff between Albert and the current Commissioner for Finance, Okon, sparking off agitations from security forces attached to both officers.
In Ukanafun/Oruk Anam Federal Constituency, Akpabio’s intervention also led to the emergence of the incumbent House of Representatives member, Emmanuel Ukoette, from Oruk Anam Local Government Area, forcing the people of Ukanafun to protest over what they described as “the Governor’s decision to flout the existing zoning arrangement in the Federal Constituency.”
“The current representative, Emmanuel Ukoette, is from Oruk Anam, and this time it should be the turn of Ukanafun because the two Local Government Areas always share political offices on a rotational basis,” Etieno Ekanem, a PDP member from Ukanafun, lamented.
Others who won the race were the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Sam Ikon (Etinan); Mike Enyong (Uyo); Deacon Iboro Ekanem (Ikono\Ini); Francis Uduyork (Ikot Abasi); and Nse Ekpenyong (Oron).
Others were Emmanuel Ekon (Abak); Emmanuel Ukoette (Ukanafun\Oruk Anam); Dr. Henry (Itu\Ibiono); Deaconess Owoidighe Ekpoattai (Eket), while Emmanuel Akpan and Saviuor Udoh, emerged in parallel contests held in two centres (Ikot Ekpene and Essien Udim).