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From Tony John, Port Harcourt
Sporadic shooting amid protests rocked the All Progressives Congress (APC) secretariat on Woji Road, GRA, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, yesterday.
The protest occurred as hundreds of party supporters loyal to a governorship aspirant, Magnus Abe, besieged the premises, alleging hijack of state House of Assembly aspirants’ screening and ward/state delegates’ selection.
Earlier, the aggrieved party aspirants and their supporters, who arrived at the secretariat at about 6am had alleged there was a plot to disenfranchise them as the entrance gate was locked.
A female aspirant from Etche constituency 1, Uloma Onyeche, contesting Rivers State House of Assembly, accused the factional leader, chairman and a senatorial aspirant of compromise.
However, trouble ensued when some of the youths attempted to forcefully open the gates which made the policemen stationed inside the party secretariat to shoot into the air.
There was a cacophony of gunshots causing pandemonium as all the people outside, including journalists covering the protest, scampered for safety.
Some journalists and other protesters sustained injuries and lost their phones and personal belongings.
At press time, police could not confirm report trending on social media that one of the protesters was killed.
