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By our reporter
Violence on Friday, broke out at the Nassarawa Eggon local government secretariat of Nasarawa State over appointments of supervisory councillors.
Also, some protesters besieged the secretariat calling for the removal of the council chairman, Danlami Muhammed Idris for alleged anti-party activities.
It was gathered that some councillors, allegedly loyal to the chairman, met at the local government legislative chamber as early as 6am where the screening was expected to take place.
It was learnt that the council, under the supervision of the vice chairman, Mr. Benjamin Manga and the Speaker, Amos W. Kigbu, went ahead to screen and confirm the supervisory councillors in the absence of four members.
It was further gathered that while the event was going on, the four members who were earlier absent arrived, only to be informed that the process has been concluded.
The members who were not initially on ground before the procedure commenced, include Salisu Muhammed Ega, Alogani Electoral ward; Usman Sambu, Nasarawa Eggon Alizaga Electoral ward; Umar Mandaki of Mada station ward; and Kasimo Alu-Kagbu Electoral ward.
Our correspondent learnt that while absentee councilors belong to the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s senatorial candidate for Nasarawa North Senatorial District, Halilu Evulenza’s camp, those loyal to the chairman were said to belong to that of the incumbent Senator, Godiya Akwashiki.
Loyalists of both camps waiting outside the secretariat, stormed the premises and engaged each other in a free-for-all when news got out that the process had taken place.
Our correspondent reports that the vice chairman and some councillors sustained injuries during the fracas.
It took the intervention of the military and police personnel before the situation could be brought under control.
Meanwhile, as the councilors engaged each other, placards bearing protesters blocked the gate to the secretariat calling for the sack of the chairman.
The leader of the protester and member, APC Youth Vanguard in the state, Habiba Umar Iliyasu accused the chairman of hobnobbing with the Social Democratic Party (SDP), which Senator Akwashiki defected to after losing the APC ticket in the last primary of the party.
Governor Abdullahi Sule who was returning to Lafia from Abuja, was forced to address aggrieved members at the secretariat, after canceling the said screening and confirmation he summoned an emergency meeting of Nassarawa Eggon stakeholders over the development.
