The crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State took a fresh turn on Saturday when suspected thugs vandalised the parallel secretariat belonging to Senator’s faction of the party.
It was learnt that the thugs, allegedly protected by operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, stormed the secretariat located along Aba road after Waterlines Junction in Port Harcourt at about 8.45am, broke the glass doors, window louvers and pulled down the iron poles bearing the party flags.
Also, portraits of President Muhammadu Buhari, National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, and that of the parallel Acting Chairman of the state APC, Peter Odike, were damaged by the hoodlums.
Abe’s supporters accused the other faction led by Ojukaye Flag-Amachree as responsible for the attack when our correspondent visited the scene.
One of them, who identified himself as Jack, explained that the destruction of their secretariat happened barely 48 hours after Flag-Amachree allegedly vowed to shut down any parallel secretariat of the APC in the state.
A welder identified as Edebor, carrying out repair works in the secretariat, told us that the thugs came in five buses and accompanied by a Hilux van loaded with policemen at about 8am.
Reacting, the state Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mr. Chris Finebone, in a statement, described the allegation against Flag-Amachree as false, calling on security agents to investigate the matter.
Finebone said, “Firstly, the Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress heard about the incident like any other on social media this afternoon (Saturday). We are clueless about what anyone says is responsible for what happened.
READ: You Just Need To See The Content Of This Gift Bag given at Kogi State Bye Election (Photo)
“Secondly, when the media disclosed to us that there was a rumour about a group of persons on the verge of setting up a parallel state secretariat of our party, we couldn’t understand why and where such was coming from.
READ: Kogi bye-election: 2 ballot box snatcher including Politician son mobbed, killed in Lokoja
“However, following persistent pressure from the media, the state Chairman, Ojukaye Flag-Amachree responded that should the rumour become reality, the party would explore all lawful means to get law enforcement agencies to seal such a parallel office.’’
When contacted to comment on the matter, the spokesperson for the police in the state, Mr. Nnamdi Omoni, said he was out town and was on his way back to Port Harcourt.