Moses Ekpo, deputy governor of Akwa Ibom, and some Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders were attacked in Essien Udim, hometown of Governor Godswill Akpabio, former governor of the state, on Tuesday.
Ekpo had led some members of his party to receive some members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who defected to the PDP.
The occasion held at the Unity Hall, of the Essien Udim local government council headquarters.
The ceremony was however disrupted when thugs suspected to be supporters of Akpabio. They stormed the venue and started attacking everyone in the premises.
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They sent people scampering, but armed security agents attached to the deputy governor and other state government officials restored normalcy.
The suspects escaped and jumped into a nearby river at Afaha Ikot Ebak when security operatives arrived the scene.
A Honda Accord vehicle belonging to Ntiedo Usoro, PDP chairman in Essien Udim, was vandalised by the thugs.
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They also destroyed were some cars and motorcycle belonging to the APC members who defected to the PDP.
Ufot Ebong, senior special assistant to the governor on technical matters, spoke on the attack.
“I have never seen anything like this, they came armed and they made bonfires on the road and attempted to barricade us inside so they can kill us,” he told reporters.
“This is very horrible and I am worried about this development.”
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Few minutes to the commencement of the event, some of the APC defectors had raised alarm that many of their members who had concluded plans to join them at the Unity Hall to show solidarity for Udom Emmanuel, the governor, were held hostage.
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