The Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, on Wednesday, narrated how he escaped from the Samson Siasia Stadium, Yenagoa, venue of the 2015 governorship primary of the All Progressives Congress, after he was held hostage for hours during the exercise which was marred by violence.

He said, “I was appointed with six other members from the APC to conduct the governorship primary in Bayelsa State. The exercise took place yesterday (Tuesday) and, somehow, thugs took over the sports complex where the exercise was to take place.

“They practically prevented the actual delegates from participating and as a result, we could not proceed with the exercise. The committee was virtually held hostage, including my humble self and, this time, they were supervised unfortunately by one of the aspirants, the former governor of the state, Timipre Sylva, who said to my face and to the committee that we could not leave the venue of the conference unless we conducted the exercise without accreditation, as prescribed by the national secretariat.”

Oshiomhole wondered why the former governor insisted on his own position rather than that prescribed by the national leadership of the APC.

He said, “Whereas all the aspirants agreed with the guidelines, it was only Sylva that did not. He rejected the mode of accreditation and chose to accuse the national secretariat of formulating the guidelines to frustrate his ambition.

“Every effort made to reassure him and direct his attention to the fact that same guidelines had been used (before) and that they are standard guidelines that would be used in future elections fell on deaf ears.”

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