From Steph Clem,
The struggle for who controls the structure of the All Progressive Congress in Abia state has continued as armed thugs nearly disrupt a state congress though briefly.
The APC had what could be described as a harmonisation congress where both factions of the party came together to unify their executive in order to salvage what is left of the party.
The thugs stormed the hotel located on Aba road, Umuahia which served as the venue for the congress and beat up delegates as well as destroyed property of the hotel.
Everyone at the scene at the time had a fair share of the violence as the thugs made sure they spared no one.
Last week, hundreds of the party faithful, decamped to the People’s Democratic Party, in the state for what they described as bad blood in the party.
The thugs were believed to have been sponsored by one of the party’s stakeholder, Chief Ikechi Emenike, who led one faction.
The chairman of the party, Chief Donatus Nwankpa, has alleged that chief Emenike sponsored the thugs since he was the one that arranged for their bail from the police after they were arrested.
He said it was a surprise that such unruly act would come from Chief Emenike, saying his faction was also carried along in the consensus voting with some of his executive members forming part of the state EXCO.
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission in the state, has denied that the APC in the state held any congress.
In a press statement by INEC, it stated that it was not aware of the alleged congress where delegates of the party chose their executive members, saying they did not follow due process for the exercise.
