Warri-based Clergy Wins APC House of Reps Primaries, As Armed Thugs Invade Venue

Popular Warri-based clergy and televangelist, Rev. Francis Waive has won the APC House of Representatives primary for Udu/Ughelli North and South Federal Constituency.

The venue of the exercise was however  invaded by armed thugs, causing a pandemonium.

Notwithstanding, the exercise conducted by the Prophet Jones Erue led executive of the party, which was held at Ovwian, Udu local government area of Delta State went smoothly.

Waive was declared winner with 391 votes while his closest opponent, Julius Akpovoka, had 299 votes with Andrew Orugbo and Rukevwe Ugwumba had 218 and 22 votes respectively.

In his acceptance speech, Waive who thanked God and the delegates for voting for him, said: “This is not a winner-takes-it-all situation. I call on each one of you to join hands with me to win the General elections for our people

“It is a demonstration of confidence in me by our people, an endorsement of my seven covenants with them and a challenge to provide quality representation which our constituency has not enjoyed since 1999.

“This mandate is also a challenge to win the General elections. So work is not yet over. I will work at it with everything I am and everything I have. However, I can’t do it all on my own. I need the support  of everyone. I call on all our party men & women and indeed all our constituents to join me in working hard to win the General elections.

“I consider this a huge privilege and a great responsibility. Together we will make the difference and change the narrative.”

But the exercise almost got disrupted by violence as one of the aspirants, an indegene of Ughelli (names withheld) tried to disrupt the process during the counting of votes when he noticed that things were not going to his favour.

The police however, intervended by shooting in the air in a bid to restraint the thugs loyal to the aspirant who warned him (aspirant) that if the exercise is in anyway disrupted, he would be arrested and charged for the offence.