There were shootings at the Nnewi North Local Government Area secretariat, Anambra State, on Sunday, as thugs loyal to leading candidates stormed the area in an attempt to allegedly snatch ballot boxes.
The secretariat served as a collation centre for the Anambra South Senatorial District election.
A sitting senator, Ifeanyi Ubah, who is also the candidate of the Young Progressives Party; the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Chief Chris Uba; and the incumbent member of the House of Representatives, Chris Azubogu, who contested on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, are the leading candidates.
Although no life was lost in the incident, sources said the shootings sent many journalists, supporters and even officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission scampering to safety.
A source said one of the candidates invaded the secretariat with thugs and forced his way into the collation centre, where he attempted to hijack ballot papers that were being counted.
He said, “As they were about to move out of the premises, another group of thugs loyal to one of the candidates stormed the area, quickly blocking them from leaving.
“This caused heavy gunfire, with a candidate confronting and dispossessing another one of the results he wanted to go away with.”
Meanwhile, the media aide to Azubogu, Mr Emeka Onyia, insisted that his principal was only at the secretariat to submit a petition.
The YPP candidate was presumed to be leading in the poll.
The state police spokesman, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, said the command was not aware of the incident.
