Eight people have been hospitalized after a violence broke out between the factions of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Etsako Central Local Government area of Edo State.
It was reported that some members of the party in Fugar area who are said to be supporters of the chairman of the council, John Akhigbe clashed with the member representing Etsako Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Johnson Oghuma.
But Thursday, Akhigbe alleged that Oghuma mobilised thugs with N300,000 from Annegbete and Ogbonna communities to Fugar, venue of the APC meeting but he said the attack on APC members in the locality would not stop them from working for the re-election of Governor Godwin Obaseki.
Akhigbe also said his purported suspension was carried out by people who just defected to the APC aided by Oghuma.
He said:”Can a non-party member suspend a party member? I know those who are APC members, those who decamp to PDP before 2016 governorship election in the state have not returned as far as I am concerned. They cannot assume in their bedroom that they are now members of the party.
“Oghuma is in the same unit with me, the votes from one of my unit are more than the two units of Oghuma. He cannot win any election without my support.
“Oghuma sent them N300, 000 to organize thugs from Annegbete and Ogbonna community. The moment I entered the venue of the meeting one Henry Aloye shouted attack him, they were all armed. They inflicted me with injury with a plastic chair, and moment later, they started throwing stones and broke bottles in the venue of the meeting.”
But Oghuma who spoke to Vanguard on phone denied the allegation but that it was Akhigbe who sponsored thugs to attack APC members with dangerous weapons.
The lawmaker said he has spent over N700,000 to pay for the treatment of the wounded APC members.
His words, “I have not been home for a long time. I did minor surgeries and couldn’t have sent thugs to attack Akhigbe.
“It was Akhigbe that brought thugs to beat up our members. The police in the area did not do anything. I am a leader representing three local government areas. Akhigbe wanted to show to Obaseki that he is powerful.”
Chairman of APC in Estako Central, Suleiman Bagudu, said Akhigbe was suspended from the APC insisting that APC in the area is intact under his leadership. (Vanguard)
