Two women were reportedly sustained gunshot injuries on Saturday during an All Progressives Congress (APC) South-East women and youths rally held at the Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri, Imo state.
This came following a clash between supporters of APC governorship candidate in the state, Hope Uzodinma, and those of Governor Rochas Okorocha’s son-in-law, Uche Nwosu of Action Alliance (AA).
The tension apparently got worsened when wife of the President, Aisha Buhari, and Governor Rochas Okorocha, disagreed over who Imo should vote for between Uzodinma and Nwosu.
While the governor called on the People to cast their vote for President Muhammadu Buhari and Nwosu of the AA party, Dolapo Osinbajo, who represented Aisha at the event, disagreed with Okorocha and called on the crowd to ensure their votes are cast for Buhari and the APC candidates.
The show was a supremacy battle of a sort as the master of ceremonies initially denied acknowledging the presence of Uzodinma and Senator Ben Uwajumogu. However, after much pressure from party leaders who came from Abuja and the APC supporters in the state, the MC eventually recognised them.
While Okorocha’s wife was addressing the crowd, gunshots from security operatives were heard and two women sustained gunshot injuries and were rushed to the hospital.
The national woman leader of the APC, Salamatu Eluma, who spoke after security agents managed to restore normalcy, asked the people to vote President Muhammadu Buhari, Uzodinma and all the APC candidates in the South-East.
Apparently not happy with what he witnessed, Okorocha said, “The APC has not been fair to us. We are only being calm because of President Muhammadu Buhari who has already won in Imo State. We are going to support Buhari but let me tell you people, after we were cheated by the APC, in order to deliver the President, we formed an alliance with other political parties and leading among them is the AA led by Uche Nwosu.
“Do not be deceived, Uche Nwosu of the AA will win the governorship election in Imo State because he is on the ground. We have no other candidate; we will not support those with stolen mandate.”
Reacting also on what transpired at the event Uzodinma said through the state APC publicity secretary/campaign spokesperson, Enyinnaya Onuegbu, “Okorocha is just fighting like a drowning man. He will finally get drowned on March 2, 2019. Buhari and Uzodinma will coast to victory alongside other APC candidates in the state.”