Patrick Kelechi

 

Daily Courier – The leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, has set up a seven-man panel of Inquiry, to investigate the Wednesday, May 18 invasion of it secretariat in Port Harcourt.

The state APC chairman, Chief Emeka Beke, in a statement made available to journalists in Port Harcourt yesterday, said the panel will investigate the remote and immediate causes of the invasion.

The Panel of Inquiry has Elder Sampson Egop and Barrister Edward Pepple as Chairman and Secretary while Chief Tony Okocha, Hon. Edwin Wali, Brigadier-General DKS Nnah (Rtd), Barrister J.C. Williams and Barrister (Mrs) Winnie Morganson, will serve as members.

Recall that over 3,000 youths suspected to be members of the APC had on Wednesday, blocked the entrances into the party secretariat, located along Woji Road in the GRA axis of Port Harcourt.

The placard-carrying youths were protesting the alleged hijack of the materials for ward congress as well as the screening exercise of House of Assembly aspirants in the state.

However, alleged attempts by the protesters to forcefully push down the fences of party secretariat led to the invitation of the Police who fired gunshots and teargas canisters to disperse them.

Although no life was lost during the protest, scores were wounded while several persons lost various valuables to hoodlums who cashed in on the situation to rob.