2027: Violence, irregularities mar APC reps primaries in Bomadi

By Chancel Bomadi Sunday

Apprehension gripped Bomadi, headquarters of Bomadi Local Government Area, and environs over the weekend, as violence disrupted the electoral proceedings of the All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Representatives primaries at the collation centre due to irregularities in the election processes.

Party loyalists expressed concerns when the Returning Officer, Dr. Godwin Adolor, previously apologised for the delayed start. Simultaneously, he announced that election observers from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had already been dispatched to the various wards.

He also announced that returning officers were on the verge of being deployed to the various wards to commence the process.

One of the party loyalists, Hon. Keneke Godbless, the immediate past chairman of the former ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Bomadi Local Government Area, objected that no one was informed about the deployment of the INEC observers, nor was their identity known.

The chairman of the Bomadi Local Government Council, Hon. Rawlings Dagidi Andaye, responded by stating that he and the INEC Electoral Officer had concurred that the party’s ward chairmen should undertake the role of observers and relay their findings to INEC from the ten wards.

The chairman of the APC in the Bomadi local government area, Mr. Perekeme Seleyeibo, expressed his objection to the decision made between INEC and the council boss without his knowledge. He asserted that, as chairman of the party, he should be informed of such arrangements, emphasising that the arrangement was untenable in a democratic system.

However, there appeared to be no progress regarding the concerns raised, as the Returning Officer was reluctant to overturn the arrangement.

Sequel to this development, supporters started protesting and citing the irregularities in the process. They also chanted “No voting in Bomadi. Nicholas Mutu is our preferred candidate; Mutu, we know.”

In a surprising turn of events, youths wielded machetes, cutlasses and other dangerous weapons, causing chaos and prompting everyone to flee to safety.

At the time of filing this report, party officials were seen returning to Asaba without having concluded the process.

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