Yenagoa — The Bayelsa State Deputy Governor, Peremobowei Ebebi, yesterday escaped being killed as armed youths attacked his convoy along the Patani road in Delta State, while on his way from his hometown in Ekeremor where violence marred the primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the local government election in Bayelsa State.

In Sagama and Ekeremor local government areas, over thirty persons sustained serious injuries from gunshots and machetes during the primaries as supporters of the party were thrown into a power struggle between the loyalists of Governor Timipre Sylva and his Deputy.

LEADERSHIP SUNDAY gathered that a soldier attached to the Joint Military Task Force, known as Operation Restore Hope, was killed in the fracas that ensured in Sagama,while an aide to the Commissioner of Youths and Conflict Resolution,Mr.Bekis Etifa, was allegedly shot dead by rival groups in the Ekeremor area.

LEADERSHIP SUNDAY gathered that the attack on the Deputy Governor occurred around 1pm and that one of the back-up vehicles was destroyed as the security details on the convoy shot into the air to scare the attackers who reportedly accused supporters of deputy governor of killing their colleague.

The Chairman of the Transition Monitoring Committee for the Council, who allegedly belongs to Bekes Etifa group, Ben Eyorodokumor, and two other persons, narrowly escaped death as they were allegedly beaten black and blue on the orders of a top politician.

Also, in Sagbama local government, there was a reported shoot-out between the men of the Joint Military Task Force and some youths. Unconfirmed reports had it that two of the youths were wounded.

Reacting to this development, JTF spokesman, Lt. Col. Timothy Antigha, said that there had not been any confrontation, adding that the force was not involved in the supervision of the election.

Meanwhile, pockets of protests now trail the result of the primaries in the remaining six local governments councils in the predominantly coastal state, just as the violence by aggrieved party members is generating fresh tension.

Disappointed aspirants lamented that the poll was fraught with fraud as the party harmonized the primary election to politicians loyal to Governor Timipre Sylva and his aides.

It was leant that no primary election was conducted by the party in the original eight local government areas of the state.

Already, a faction of the party has alleged that the picking of the chairmanship candidates was illegal, threatening that they would seek redress in court.

Reports further revealed that some government officials supporting the "anointed" chairmanship candidates were said to have engaged the services of the JTF soldiers to beef up security in the localities.

But, Spokesman of the security outfit, Lt. Col. Antigha, could not confirm this at press time.

The crisis reportedly escalated as chairmanship aspirants sponsored by Deputy Governor Peremobowei Ebebi, Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Werinipre Seibarugu and Deputy Speaker, Nestor Binabo, were harmonized out of the primary election.

The Speaker reportedly expressed reservation against the candidature of an ace comedian cum politician, Mike Ogbolosingha, who was adopted as Yenagoa Council Chairmanship candidate.

Meanwhile, the members of the National Assembly from Bayelsa State have again boycotted the primaries.

Also not in attendance were the embattled chairman of the party, Chief Rufus Abadi, the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Matters, Timi Alaibe and other party chieftains.

Chief Abadi claimed not to be aware of the present situation in the party, as he was operating from a hide-out over an alleged threat to his life.

Contacted yesterday on telephone, the member of the House of Representatives, representing Sagbama/Ekeremor Federal Constituency, Hon. Seriake Dickson, said the lawmakers in Abuja were not part of the primaries.

However, a PDP source stated that the affected members disenfranchised themselves for reasons best known to them, arguing that as delegates by the virtue of their election they were supposed to be in attendance.

The source posited that no single individual was a greater than the party, buttressing that representatives of the party were sent from the national secretariat in Abuja.

Members of the electoral panel constituted by the party include; Hon. Awalu Madaki, (Chairman) Hon. Victor Ere, Mrs. Chidinma Ekeowu, Chief Wali Wosu and Sir Vincent Aondoakaa.

The statement signed by the national organizing secretary of the party, Prince Uche Secondus partly reads, "The above listed persons are members of our great party deployed from the PDP national secretariat to conduct LG election in Bayelsa state.

In compliance with the party's directive, delegates filed out to perform their civic responsibility.