Delta bye-election: Kelvin’s notorious kidnapping gang attacks PDP flag-bearer, burn vehicles

Hell was let loose on Friday on the senatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the forthcoming senatorial bye-election, Hon. Emmanuel Aguariavwodo, in Kokori, Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta State.
The seat became vacant two months ago after Senator Pius Ewherido, representing the district on the platform of the Democratic Peoples Party, sponsored by Chief Great Ogboru, suddenly died in Abuja.
The PDP candidate had planned to campaign on Friday morning in the locality before hoodlums unleashed mayhem on the campaign train.
Kokori is the den and home-town of Kelvin Ibruvwe, the notorious kidnapper, and his gang that were recently arrested and taken to the police force headquarters in Abuja.
The hoodlums, who perpetrated the dastardly act ,were described as the “aggrieved remnant members of the kidnapped gang of Kelvin, who are bent on revenging their leader’s arrest.”
While accusing fingers were being pointed at Kelvin’s gang, another source said the candidate’s emergence as the flag-bearer of this party was controversial.
Aguariavwodo emerged last week after the primary election of the ruling party as the flag-bearer, The Eagle Online gathered, via “execute fiat” from the Presidency.
His emergence, The Eagle Online further gathered, has pitched him against some aspirants who felt jolted by the manner the way was expressly paved for him by the powers-that-be in the party.
To that effect, some of the aggrieved aspirants were said to have threatened not only to constitute nuisance to his campaign but to pose challenges to his winning the election.
Three vehicles, belonging to the campaign train, were said to have been burnt even as over 15 members of the campaign train were seriously wounded and have been rushed to undisclosed hospitals in the locality for treatment.
Aside the burnt vehicles, the canopies mounted for the ceremony were shattered and the plastic chairs damaged in hundreds.
The senatorial candidate and the directors of his campaign train were said to be taking refuge at the Palace of the Ovie of Kokori Kingdom.
When contacted, the state Chairman of the PDP, Chief Peter Nwaoboshi, confirmed the attack but said no casualty was recorded.
Nwaoboshi explained that the vehicles that were smashed were parked outside the campaign premises by supporters of the candidate.