Fighting broke out at the Peoples Democratic Party’s special convention early Saturday as party delegates gathered to elect new officials.
Popular Anambra politician, Chris Uba, was physically attacked.
Supporters of Mr. Uba exchanged blows with other delegates after he was barred from taking a seat at the Anambra pavilion where delegates were seated. He was rough handled in the fight but later allowed to sit with the delegates.
Mr. Uba and his brother, Andy Uba, a serving senator, were earlier this week suspended by the party after they ignored party summons for conducting parallel nomination for Anambra governorship election.
Security agents moved in to quell the violence while verbal exchanges continued.
The two brothers eventually sat next to each other and close to Tony Nwoye, the man the PDP headquarters recognises as the party’s candidate in the November governorship election in Anambra.
Chris Uba’s attackers said he had been suspended and had no right to attend the Saturday’s party election.
An Abuja court on Friday lifted the suspension order on the brothers by the PDP.
About 3500 delegates are expected to vote for 75 candidates who are vying for 17 positions.
President Goodluck Jonathan, who is attending the event, praised the PDP as the best not only in the country but in Africa.
He said the PDP remained the only party with a well-articulated framework for governance and development.
He said under the PDP telecommunication, education, aviation, banking and infrastructure have been transformed.
“These are facts our critics are never willing to acknowledge,” he said.