A major tragedy was averted on Saturday in Nembe, Bayelsa State, following the sudden slump of the former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Col. Sam Inokoba (rtd.), who recently defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Informed sources said the incident happened during a town hall meeting. An eyewitness at the forum who pleaded anonymity said: “Something funny happened and you don’t expect everything to be made public.”

Sources at the event said the programme was on-going when Inokoba suddenly collapsed and was rushed to a local hospital where he was said to be under intensive care as efforts were being made by medical personnel to stabilise his condition.

Reacting to the development, the Ijaw Young Professionals called on Inokoba’s family and the general public to hold the APC responsible should anything happened to the former PDP chairman.

Spokesman of IYP, Seighfa Tonye-Brown, in a statement in Yenagoa, berated the APC for attempting to hide the unfortunate incident.

According to him, the action of the APC leadership was suspicious and not in good faith.

He warned that should anything untoward happen to the Odi-born politician, the action of APC would be called to question.

Inokoba, who marked his 70th birthday in April, the statement claimed, had been in and out of hospital all through last year and till date.

Tonye-Brown added that all the while, his medical bills and welfare were provided by the Dickson-led PDP government.

“On several occasions, we were aware that he was flown abroad for medical treatment courtesy of the PDP-led government in the state. Even on the eve of his defection to the APC, we were privy to the fact that he was given the sum of N5 million by the vontriman governor, Henry Seriake Dickson, to proceed abroad for his usual medical check and treatment,” Tonye-Brown stated.

•Photo shows Sam Inokoba.

Update news