It was a free for all fight between the supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and and People’s Democratic party (PDP) over citing of polling units for the Presidential and national assembly elections in Nasarawa State.
The polling units, which was dominated by youths and women that turn out for the exercise, was one of the newly created polling units by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
The incident occurred at about 10:15 when election materials arrived at the Polling units 051/052 in Angwan Nungu, under Gayam Ward in Lafia Local Government area of Nasarawa State.
Both sensitive and non sensitive materials were destroyed, except for he ballot boxes, which led to serious fight between the PDP and APC supporters.
Even though no injury was record or live was lost, the polling units officials, including the Police and NSCDC men attached to give the officials cover and to ensure there was no break of law and order narrowlling escaped from been hurt by the fighters.
It was alleged that, the supporters of the two parties had their own internal issues between the indigenes and those considered to be settlers in the area.
Another factor alleged to have caused the fight, was that, the APC supporters are insisting that, everybody in the polling units must vote for APC, as non of the voters are willing to entrust their mandate to APC.
It was gathered that, he development however irked the APC supporters to cause fight so that election will not hold in the polling units, saying for APC to lose in the newly established PU, there rather be no election in the area.
Meanwhile, normally returned to the area after the intervention of the combined team of military and police men Who dispersed the fighters with tear gas.
The personnel however arrested some youths, including the District Head for further questioning.
One of the protester, Aliyu Gayam Ilele, faulted the district head, Ibrahim Alaku for inciting and instigating youths from the area to damage the election materials.
He said, he was instrumental to the establishment of the two polling units, which to be cited in the front of his house, but the District head revolted and insisted that, the units must be cited in front of his house.
Ilele said, it was at this point, that a group of youths came with water and first poured it on the election materials and destroyed everything.
Mohammed Aleru Arabo, the Secretary of Lafia Local Government Area, who came handy expressed dismayed over the attitudes of the electorates.
Arabo said, what happened in Angwan Nungu showed that, the people are not ready to exercise their franchise, and the local authority was not happy over he ugly situation.
He said, the security have been adequately briefed and those behind the fight would be sanctioned accordingly.
He was hopeful that, after all, election will take place in the two polling units 051/052, saying that, whatever happened, they would make sure the citizens are given the right to vote.
Some of the destroyed materials at the polling units 051/052 in Angwan Nungu in Lafia Local Government area.
