By Samuel Oyadongha

Yenagoa-At tempt by  gunmen to disrupt the political rally of the Labour Party in Bayelsa State, where the party governorship candidate, Mr. Timi Alaibe and others were formally presented the party’s flag was, yesterday, foiled by the police.

The rally, which attracted national officers of the party led by the National Chairman, Mr. Dan Iwuanyanwu, was held at the Redeemed Christian Church of God ground on Sani Abacha expressway in the Ekeki suburb of Yenagoa.

The rally ground was filled to capacity, when unknown gunmen started firing shots from across the road, close to the Ekeki Phase II Estate,  causing pandemonium and temporarily disrupting Mr. Iwuanyanwu’s speech.

But the security operatives deployed to the campaign ground, returned fire, leading to a gun dual that  lasted several minutes.

The gunmen  succumbed to the superior fire power of the police and escaped through the opposite Ekeki Phase 2 Housing Estate.

While the shoot-out lasted,  the leaders of the Labour Party were able to  prevent a stampede, as they appealed to the supporters who were gripped with the fear following the gunshots.

When normalcy was restored, Mr Iwanyanwu, restated the readiness of  party members  to lay down their lives to effect the needed change in the state during the April elections.

He told  party supporters to brace up for the challenges ahead, as they should expect the  sounds of more gunshots to be heard during the polls but that they should not be cowed,  as one man, one vote, must count.

He said though the visit by the party leadership and the mission of the party in the April polls was a rescue mission, “there is too much poverty in the state and we are out to change it.”