Violence erupted midway into the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primary election for Abia North senatorial district on Tuesday, bringing the exercise to an abrupt end.

The three-member ad hoc delegates election was organised at the Ohafia local government headquarters, near 34 Army Brigade.

The party had earlier concluded a rancour-free rescheduled House of Representatives primary election for Arochukwu/Ohafia federal constituency under tight security.

Barely one and half hours later, the primary election committee proceeded into the senatorial primary with the accreditation of delegates from Arochukwu, Bende, Isuikwuato, Ohafia and Umunneochi local government areas that make up the district.

The process began with Umunneochi delegates and was immediately followed by Isuikwuato delegates. However, trouble erupted midway into the process, over arguments surrounding alleged non-qualification of some delegates from the area.

The argument degenerated into a fight, despite military operatives’ frantic efforts to maintain the peace and security.

The free-for-all that ensued and the firing of shots into the air to restore normalcy, caused a stampede.

Members of the election committee, officials of the INEC on hand to supervise the exercise as well as delegates, journalists and observers at the venue scampered to safety.

The scenario, however, turned more chaotic when security operatives began to chase everybody out of the premises with clubs, whips and rifles.

The contest was between a former lawmaker, Mao Ohuabunwa, and the lawmaker representing Arochukwu/Ohafia federal constituency, Uko Nkole.

Messrs Ohuabunwa and Nkole are contesting the PDP senatorial ticket.

Police spokesman SP Godfrey Ogbonna said he travelled out of the state and was not aware of the incident.

But his counterpart in the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Ndukwe Agu, said he heard about the development but declined further comments.

According to Mr Agu, the command has yet to receive a formal report of the incident from the Ohafia division of the corps.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Speaker of the Abia House of Assembly, Mr Ifeanyi Uchendu, has clinched the party’s ticket to run for a second term in the state assembly.

He polled 36 votes to defeat his closest rival, Kelvin Jumbo, who scored 28 votes.

The two other aspirants, Samuel Anya, and the only female aspirant, Love Ezema, got three and zero votes, respectively.

(NAN)