By Dapo Akinrefon

LAGOS—THERE was pandemonium at the Yard 158 event centre on Oregun road, venue of the governorship primaries of the PDP in Lagos State as political thugs loyal to aspirants clashed.

Policemen shot canisters into the air to disperse the warring groups, while sniffer dogs were unleashed to bring the situation under control.

Trouble started when some supporters of one of the aspirants arrived the venue chanting solidarity slogans in favour of the aspirant.

Not long after, supporters of another aspirant arrived the scene and a confrontation ensued leading to a clash.

Guns, knives, bottles were deplored for the battle of supremacy.

Two persons including a reporter of the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, Chioma Ugboma were injured after the melee, while two other persons were arrested by security operatives.

About 900 delegates are expected to vote at the primary to select a candidate for the party among the six aspirants for the position.

Late accreditation 

As at 3pm, accreditation of about 900 delegates was yet to commence for both delegates and journalists, who stood under the scorching sun for several hours.

Traffic snarl

Passers-by had a hectic time plying the Oregun road as delegates littered the road with their vehicles preventing free flow of traffic.

Ex-Lagos dep gov

denied entrance

Perhaps, it was a wrong time for a former deputy governor of Lagos State, Senator Kofoworola Bucknor-Akerele to have shown up at the venue as she was barred from the gate by security personnel.

Bucknor, who wore a pink gown with an embroiled Aso-Oke, was turned back at the gate and asked to get her accreditation before being allowed access into the venue.

Frantic efforts from her to make calls to other leaders of the party did not yield any fruit, she later moved away from the gate after being left stranded for over 20 minutes.

I’ve not stepped down

—Obanikoro

Earlier, there were speculations that the former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro had been persuaded to withdraw from the race.

Refuting the claim while addressing a press conference, Senator Obanikoro said nobody can persuade him to step down.

He said: “nobody can persuade me to step down. I resigned the coveted the office as Minister for State Defence. I am here and you all can see despite the rumours that they have spread into the public space. I am here and there is doubt in my mind that we are going to participate and see this to a surgical end.”

Commenting on the fracas that involved some of his supporters, he said “we have urged all our supporters to remain calm in the face of intimidation and persecution. Nothing comes easy but we believe that whatever the lord says shall come to pass”.