Efforts by the police and other security agents to calm the tension proved abortive as the invaders refused to obey rules
By Moses Okorie
Attempt by the Labour Party to elect their flagbearer for the Garki Ward councillorship election of the Abuja Municipal Area Council, AMAC, have been marred by irregularities following the influx of thousands of people into the arena who came to participate in the said poll.
Our correspondent who monitored the election at 7th Option Garden, Garki, Abuja, observed that the process which started peacefully went out of control when crowd, some who are said not to be members of the party, trooped in and outweighed the officials and logistics made available by the party.
Efforts by the police and other security agents to calm the tension proved abortive as the invaders refused to obey rules and insisted, they must have their way despite not being registered members of the party.
It was further observed that the returning officer of the election who eventually is the deputy national chairman of the party was harassed and intimidated by the unruly crowd who dragged him by his cloth like a common criminal and forced him to stamp their ballot papers.
The chaotic situation persisted until the arrival of the state chairman of the Labour Party, Chief Peter Diugwu alongside his some of his officials with the chairman of the screening committee Mrs. Amanda Pam, and when they witnessed the situation took a unanimous decision with the aspirant and cancelled the election.
Diugwu said the state executive would hold a meeting with the three contestants namely Okechukwu Ironkwe, Kefas Ahmadu and Francis Zaki on Wednesday in order for the election to be reconducted on Thursday so as to beat deadline set by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
One of the aspirants who spoke on condition of anonymity told our correspondent that that his opponents were responsible for the chaotic situation because they invited ineligible voters so as to give them undue advantage.
He boasted he would have won the election, all things being equal, and called on leadership of the party to ensure the right thing is done to forestall further breach of rules on the next scheduled date.