There was panic and tension at the Ebonyi State People’s Democratic Party (PDP) secretariat in Abakaliki on Tuesday following heavy shooting by yet-to-be identified gunmen, who operated along the ever-busy Enugu-Abakaliki Expressway.
It was gathered that party faithful had assembled at the party secretariat located along the expressway awaiting the arrival of election materials for the three-man delegate congress before the heavy shooting started.
The shooting, which caused panic, saw many of the party faithful running in different directions as the gunmen were seen shooting from the outside of the party secretariat.
Journalists, who were also at the venue of the congress to monitor the distribution of the materials were also trapped inside the party secretariat.
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It took the quick intervention of security operatives, who accompanied some political office-holders to the party office, to repel the attackers.
As at the time of filing this report, it was not yet certain what was the motive and intent of the gunmen but our correspondent also gathered that there was no casualty.
Meanwhile, the three-man delegate congress as at 4pm was yet to commence following the delay in the arrival of the electoral materials.
Some of the party cheiftains, who were at the party office, also alleged that some persons hijacked the materials and called for full investigation into the delay in the arrival of the materials.
Some of them, who spoke on the ground of anonymity, also alledged that the leadership crisis in the party might be the reason behind the delay and possible hijack of the materials by moneybags in the party.