By Simon Ebegbulem, Benin City

Controversy marred the ward congresses of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, yesterday, as a  former Chief  Whip of the Senate, Senator Rowland Owie, accused one of the governorship aspirants of sponsoring thugs to molest leaders at a meeting called, Friday evening, by the South-South Vice Chairman of the party, Mr Cairo Ojougboh.

The meeting of leaders of the party almost turned bloody when the thugs  molested some of the party leaders who  they sensed were not in support of  the governorship aspirant. Some of the leaders  molested  include  Clement Edo-Osagie, a former member of the National  Conference and one-time deputy chairman of  the PDP in Edo.

Others are Samson Esemuede, pioneer chairman of PDP in Oredo Local Government Area, and  a former member of the House of Representatives, Mr Ifaluyi Isibor.

Tension at the meeting venue heightened when the thugs attempted to stop  Owie from equally entering  but one of the governorship aspirants, Mr Matthew Iduoriyekemwen, and his loyalists intervened when they pushed  the thugs  out of the way.

Owie, who explained that the ward congress in his Isi South ward was successful but that of Ward 7, Isi North, was inconclusive, described as sad “that we came for a stakeholders meeting called by the National Vice Chairman South-South  of the PDP and an over-ambitious governorship aspirant brought in thugs to stop some leaders from entering the venue.

“They molested three of our leaders and tried it with me when good hearted party members resisted them. But it is very clear from what happened yesterday (Friday) that these same people have not changed from their anti-democratic culture but certainly the new PDP will not have  a  place for them because those who fight with the sword die by the sword”.