Four die as PDP inaugurates C’River ward excos

Four persons have been confirmed dead following controversy that trailed the just concluded inauguration of the ward executives of the Peoples Democratic Party in Cross River State. The PDP had on Friday inaugurated executives in the 196 electoral wards in the state but the reception in some wards on Saturday turned bloody following alleged tussle between two factions of the party in the state. It was gathered that some members of one of the groups had alleged that they were excluded from the composition of the ward executives just as they lost one of their members during the inauguration. At ward nine of Calabar South Local Government Area of the state, one of the aggrieved persons, was reportedly shot dead, at the reception ground while a woman leader identified as Mrs. Ekpo left the venue with her black Mercedes Benz car vandalised. Two persons were reportedly killed three days before the inauguration at the Etim Edem park in Calabar. At ward six of the same council, Chairman of Elders Forum escaped being lynched but the windscreen of his black Lexus Sports Utility Van was smashed. Also, a former councillorship candidate in the ward, Archibong Edem-Orok’, had his Nissan Xterra SUV vandalised and his iPad as well as N129, 000 allegedly stolen by a group of about 20 boys that struck at the venue while the reception was going on. It was further gathered that one of the councillors in ward six, who was entertaining guests at the reception had to scamper to safety. Narrating his ordeal, Orok said he saw some boys that went to the councillor and were complaining that they were schemed out of the exercise. He further alleged that after a short period, another group numbering about 20 stormed the place in Keke Napep after it was alleged that one person had been shot dead at ward nine. He also said one of them tried to stab him with a broken bottle but that he defended himself. According to him, some of the boys rushed to his car, opened the booth and made away with his iPad, and the
money which he said was for the preparation of his wedding. When contacted Public Relations Officer of the state Police Command, Mr. John Umoh, confirmed that two persons died at Etim Edem park. He, however, said it had nothing to do with the PDP inauguration of its excos. On the number of casualty, he said he did not have information and promised that by Monday (today), he would have been able to get the necessary information.