By Felix Ndiomu,
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primaries held yesterday in parts of the country came with disturbing reports of violence, death, and sundry malpractices in three states in the South-South.

In Edo State, as rival factions of the party held parallel primaries, three journalists were arrested by security agents for allegedly covering the voting of a faction in the state.

In Cross River, a policeman was shot dead, while in Bayelsa, the state governor, Duoye Diri, lamented the killing of a PDP supporter in polling-induced violence.

In Benin City, the capital of Edo State, delegates of the PDP Monday held parallel primaries at different locations in the state, split between supporters of Governor Godwin Obaseki and the PDP Vice Chairman, South-South, Dan Orbih.

Three journalists were arrested by security agents and police for allegedly covering the reports of the Orbih faction in the polling war.

Those picked up were a correspondent for News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Deborah Coker; a reporter with African Independent Television (AIT), Sunny Inarumen, a radio and TV correspondent with an independent station, ITV, Ogbomo Osamuyi.

Orbih’s faction delegates held their primary at an event centre by the airport gate, while Obaseki’s delegates held theirs at Ogbemudia’s Stadium.

The journalists were arrested and taken to Oko Police Division, where they were detained for over four hours. They were said to have deposited a statement.

Contacted after her release, Deborah Coker of NAN said they were arrested by a combined team of Edo Security Network and men of the State Vigilante Service and the Police.

“Even after we told them that we are journalists doing our constitutional duty, they insisted that we are providing coverage for an illegal primary; that is why they took us to Oko police station.

Meanwhile, at the indoor sports hall of the Dr Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium where Obaseki’s delegates of the PDP converged, former Majority leader of Edo State House of Assembly, Mathew Iduriyekemwen, emerged as the candidate defeating the incumbent Senator Mathew Uroghide, while Ogbeide Ihama emerged the candidate at the Dan Orbih-led delegates.

In the Edo Central Senatorial district, former Minister of Works under ex-president Goodluck Jonathan, Mike Onolememen, picked the PDP ticket for the senatorial district, while Clifford Ordia, the two-term incumbent senator emerged in the Obaseki-led faction.

In Edo North, Pascal Ugbome emerged as the candidate of the Orbih-led primary, while Mrs Victoria Edelokun won the ticket of the Obaseki-led delegates in the parallel primaries conducted.

In Cross River, tragedy struck when a policeman was reportedly shot dead yesterday at the venue of PDP House of Representatives primaries in Obudu local government area.

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The policeman, identified by his colleagues as Martins Mbang, met his untimely death at the primary to nominate a candidate to fly the party’s flag in the 2023 general elections for the Obudu/Obanliku/Bekwara federal constituency.

The rescheduled primaries were billed to hold at the Handmaid’s International Nursery and Primary School along Hospital Road.

Witnesses said they saw vandalized vehicles at the scene of the incident.

Martins Mbang reportedly died on the spot, while the other, who was injured at the rear, was rushed to the hospital for treatment.

Supporters of some of the aspirants were protesting for unknown reasons and opened fire on the policemen.

Several shots were fired in what was a tense six minutes.

According to reports, ‘the boys’ were eventually chased away, while the party mused on the next step to take.

Also in Bayelsa, Governor Douye Diri, yesterday condemned the killing of a PDP supporter, Michael Isaiah, during the Bayelsa State House of Assembly primaries for Ogbia Constituency 1 at Ogbia town, in Ogbia local government area of the state.

Isaiah was killed on Sunday during an argument over the ad-hoc delegates list to be used for the election of the party’s candidate.

A statement by the Director-General of New Media, Kola Oredipe said Diri described the incident as an isolated incident orchestrated by certain desperate persons to undermine the generally peaceful conduct of the primaries across the state.

According to Oredipe, Diri has therefore called on security agencies to investigate the cowardly killing and ensure that the perpetrators are arrested and made to face the full weight of the law.

The governor while condoling with the family of the deceased stated that PDP remains a peaceful party and would not condone such dastardly acts in the name of politics.

Meanwhile, there is palpable tension at the Izon House yesterday, the venue of the Ogbia Federal Constituency PDP primaries, over desperate moves to foist the candidate of former President Goodluck Jonathan on the ad-hoc delegates.

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Four aspirants’ namely incumbent member Ogbia Federal constituency, Fred Obua, former Commissioner for Information, Orientation and Strategy, Daniel Iworison-Markson,

incumbent lawmaker, Mietama Obordor, representing Ogbia constituency 1, and Ogbia Council chairman, Ebinyu Turner are gunning for the ticket.

Eyewitness accounts stated that the ad-hoc delegates were not willing to vote for Jonathan’s choice, Obordor, a development that has jolted Diri.

Obordor was said to have sent word to Diri that he is on the verge of losing the election prompting the latter to send emissaries to the venue to compel ad-hoc delegates to vote Jonathan’s choice.