Tension broke out during the All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Representatives primary election for the Isoko Federal Constituency in Delta State after allegations of irregularities triggered a heated confrontation at the collation centre.
The primary election, which took place across Isoko North and Isoko South Local Government Areas, descended into controversy when stakeholders questioned the integrity of the vote collation process.
Trouble began when the returning officer, Delta State Commissioner for Power and Energy, Michael Ifeanyi Anoka, was preparing to announce the results at the Ekpre Otobo Hall collation centre in Isoko South.
A House of Representatives aspirant, Dickson Ebegbare, raised objections, accusing the process of bias and alleging that the exercise was marred by irregularities in several wards.
Ebegbare insisted that despite claims of manipulation, he had secured victories in multiple polling units against the incumbent lawmaker, Jonathan Ukodhiko, and warned that the results being prepared for announcement did not reflect the will of party members.
Shortly after his objection, angry supporters reportedly staged a protest at the collation centre, chanting against what they described as an attempt to impose a candidate.
Ebegbare declared that he would not accept what he called an “unacceptable declaration,” insisting that he had been robbed of victory and demanding transparency in the final collation.
The protest escalated, forcing officials, security personnel, and supporters of the incumbent candidate to temporarily vacate the hall and take refuge at the Isoko South council chairman’s residence.
For several hours, tension remained high as attempts to announce the results were repeatedly resisted by protesting supporters, despite heavy security presence at the venue.
However, after prolonged delays, senior local government officials including the chairmen of Isoko North and Isoko South eventually insisted that the collation process must proceed.
Under tight security, the returning officer later declared Ukodhiko as the winner of the primary election, after which officials swiftly left the area amid renewed protests from Ebegbare’s supporters.
The announcement immediately triggered another round of demonstrations, with aggrieved supporters rejecting the outcome and alleging that the process was manipulated to favour the incumbent candidate.
The incident highlights growing tensions within party primaries ahead of the 2027 general elections, as internal disputes and allegations of irregularities continue to dominate the political landscape.