Two persons were reportedly burnt to death on Wednesday afternoon at Okpuala, headquarters of Isiala Ngwa North Local Government Area as the Abia State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held primaries to choose chairmanship candidates for the December 17, 2016 local government election in the state.

It was also gathered that the exercise was marred in Umuahia North by protesting delegates who tore the delegates list while the man deployed to conduct the election at Ungwunagbo council was waylaid and dispossessed of the election materials at Osisioma Junction in the commercial city of Aba.

But in Umuahia South, the exercise held at the council headquarters Apumiri Ubakala was peaceful, with Obioma Ogbulafor, son of a former PDP National Chairman, Prince Vincent Ogbulafor, beating three other aspirants to emerge the chairmanship candidate.

Early reports from Isiala Ngwa North where the contest for the chairmanship ticket was between the immediate past Transition Committee Chairman, Chief Ginger Onwusibe, and Uzor Ihuka, indicated that suspected thugs doused the office of the Transition Committee Chairman with petrol and set it ablaze.

The raging inferno reportedly burnt four persons, with one Onyemachi dying instantly while three were left in critical conditions and rushed to hospital for medical attention. However, it was reported that one of them later died, bringing to two the number of the dead.

The police in Abia confirmed the incident but said only one death was recorded. The Command’s Public Relations Officer, Nta Ogbonnaya Nta, said during a telephone interview that four suspects have been arrested in connection with the arson.

In Umuahia North, according to sources, those who suspected that the delegates’ list was doctored wrested the papers from one of the officials who came to conduct the primary at the council headquarters and tore it to shreds, thereby bringing the exercise to an abrupt end.

A source alleged that another official sent to Ugwunagbo was waylaid by thugs at Osisioma Junction and dispossessed of the election materials. The thugs reportedly gave the man N3,000 fare and ordered him to return to Umuahia and not to risk going to his place of assignment.

Reports from Osisioma said no primary election took place in the area while in Aba North, the winner of the primary among the three contenders was not announced as officials were said to have left with the result after a free and fair polling.

In Isuikwuato, Boniface Ikwuagwu beat other aspirants to win the primary. Reports from other councils were being awaited as at the time of filing this report.

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