Alia, APC Trade Blames Over Clash Between Supporters

Crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress, in Benue State got to a head when some party youths loyal to the acting State Chairman, Benjamin Omakolo and those loyal to embattled State Chairman, Austin Agada engaged in a free-for-all in Makurdi.

The fight which was reported to have also witnessed sounds of gunshots was quelled by stern looking Police personnel who fired rounds of teargas to disperse the youth.

The crisis started when some youths of the party alleged to be loyal to the acting Chairman barricaded the road leading to the APC State Secretariat supporting the Police to cordon off the area to stop any political meeting there, in line with the ban of such activities emplaced by Governor Hyacinth Alia and being enforced by the Police.

However, another group of youths allegedly loyal to Agada who led his entourage including the Executive Director, Housing, Finance and Accounts, Federal Housing Authority, Dr. Mathias Byuan tried to penetrate the barricade to access state Secretariat on JS Tarka Road, they were resisted by those that had barricaded the access road from the Kashim Ibrahim Way axis of Old GRA, and a free-for-all ensued. It took the intervention of the Police to save the situation.

Reacting to the development in a statement, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Tersoo Kula blamed Agada and his entourage for allegedly using armed youths to instigate the crisis and violating the embargo placed on political meetings and gatherings in the state.

But in a counter statement, the State Publicity Secretary of the APC, Daniel Ihomun who blamed Governor Alia for what transpired, alleged that he sent thugs to disrupt the scheduled working visit of Dr. Byuan to the APC State Secretariat by barricading the road.