Political hoodlums have violently interrupted elections at Omege ward in Ezza North LGA, Ebonyi state. Omege ward is the polling unit of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) governorship candidate in the State, Prof. Ifeanyi Bernard Odoh.
Reports have it that the rogues started to shoot carelessly into the air as soon as they arrived the polling station, wounding three persons. They also reportedly vandalized electoral supplies, including the BVAS machine. The three injured voters are currently recieving treatment at a medical centre.
APGA Ward Agent for the ward, Nwafor Benjamin described the situation as unfortunate, adding that the ugly situation has deprived the people of the area their right to choose a leader. He said:
“What happened here is very unfortunate and it has never happened in Omege ward before, our youths and the civil defense men accompanied the materials from the local government to the polling unit. On reaching here, people were waiting for INEC to bring out the materials, unknown to us, some Ebubeagu people came down from a bike with pump action and started shooting and injured three people. One of them rushed to where INEC officials kept the materials and brought out sensitive items like the BVAS and register and started shooting to scare people away before burning the BVAS.”
Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of Ebonyi State Police Command, SP Onome Onovwakpoyeya, said electoral materials have being resent to the affected Polling Unit as the election will still be conducted there.
