There is heightened tension in Rivers State as suspected arsonists reportedly detonated explosives at the state secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) early on Saturday morning.
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The incident occurred just hours before the scheduled local government elections today, October 5.
It was gathered that the APC, the primary opposition party in Rivers State, was targeted in the attack, which took place at its secretariat in Port Harcourt.
According to video footage circulating online, believed to have been captured shortly after the explosion, dynamite was used in the attack.
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The blast caused damage to the main gate, the security post of the APC secretariat, and parts of a nearby building.
In a statement to journalists, Chief Tony Okocha, chairman of the party’s caretaker committee, attributed the attack to supporters of Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Okocha alleged that “pro-Fubara civilian soldiers” were responsible for detonating dynamite at the office in the early hours of the morning.
He further explained that a second attempt to set the building ablaze was thwarted by security personnel at the gate, who quickly extinguished the fire.
This development comes after the APC had earlier announced its decision to boycott the local government elections scheduled for Saturday, October 5. In a surprising move, the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led by Hon. Chukwuemeka Aaron, also declared its non-participation in the polls.