Some members of National Assembly allegedly engaged in physical combat over the choice of candidate for the PDP national convention.
The party’s convention holding today, Saturday, December 9, had one of the aspirants for the position, Chief Olabode George on Friday, December 8 withdrawn from the race.
Before the national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, members of the National Assembly caucus of the party on Friday night, December 8, allegedly exchanged blows at the residence of a former Governor of Akwa Ibom state, Chief Godswill Akpabio, over the choice of the next national chairman of the party.
The Nation reports that Akpabio, who is the minority leader in the Senate, had convened a session on how to keep the party united and ensure a rancour-free convention.
A top source, who was at the meeting, said: “The Senate minority leader convened the session in his house to enable us interact with all the aspirants on their programmes and form our opinion on who to vote for. “We were barely settling down for the session when some members of the House of Representatives raised issues concerning some aspirants for the office of the national chairman and others disagreed. “The development led to shouting match and fisticuffs among some Senators and members of the House of Representatives.
“The rowdy session was witnessed by the deputy president of the Senate, Chief Ike Ekweremadu, and some of the aspirants in attendance, including a leading candidate, Prince Uche Secondus.”
Another source at the meeting said: “The meeting ended abruptly when some lawmakers started exchanging blows over who should lead the party. “I think the clash was a carry-over of some political misunderstanding among some members of the National Assembly in some states over the choice of chairman for PDP. But we all bore the brunt of the fisticuffs.”
Amember of the House of Representatives, who was hit at the session, said: “I think some of our colleagues at the session were just being overzealous by taking sides. They misread the intent of what we were to do.
“The assumption was that the session was meant to adopt a candidate for the office of national chairman of PDP.”
When contacted, Akpabio’s spokesman, Jackson Udom, said: “Why can’t you get in touch with the Senate minority leader himself? I do not speak on party matters.”
