(DDM) – Tensions escalated in the Anambra South senatorial by-election on Saturday after the state’s Deputy Governor, Dr. Onyekachukwu Ibezim, and the Commissioner for Environment, Engr. Felix Odumegwu, were allegedly attacked during voting.
DDM gathered that the deputy governor was briefly held hostage by angry youths who accused him of attempting to buy votes at one of the polling centers.
Witnesses said Odumegwu, who was reportedly in Ibezim’s company, was also assaulted by the mob before security operatives intervened.
The confrontation triggered widespread condemnation across the state and raised fears about deepening political violence ahead of the November governorship election.
Governor Charles Soludo, who voted at his Isuofia polling unit in Aguata Local Government Area, accused APC candidate Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu of sponsoring the attack.
“This is nothing but an act of thuggery,” Soludo declared.
“APC’s Nicholas Ukachukwu sent his men to attack government officials. It is shameful and undemocratic,” he added.
Video footage seen by reporters captured the moment Ukachukwu directly clashed with Ibezim during the heated standoff.
In the clip, Ukachukwu was heard defiantly warning the deputy governor that he would “burn” his cars.
The threat has since gone viral, sparking outrage among political observers and civil society groups.
Mazi Ejimofor Opara, the National Publicity Secretary of APGA, condemned the incident, warning that it exposed what Anambra could face under Ukachukwu’s leadership.
“That shows you thugs are out to govern Anambra State,” Opara said.
He added that Odumegwu narrowly escaped death thanks to quick intervention by security operatives at his Ezinifite residence.
In a counterstatement, APC dismissed the allegations, insisting Ukachukwu did not order any attack.
Comrade Tony Uche, an aide to Ukachukwu, accused the deputy governor and commissioner of storming Osumenyi community with over twenty truckloads of armed vigilantes.
“If you see the number of vigilante personnel that came with them to hijack the election, you will understand why the youths resisted them,” Uche argued.
He insisted the confrontation was a spontaneous resistance to intimidation, not an organized attack ordered by his principal.
The clash has now drawn sharp scrutiny to the conduct of the by-election, with concerns about escalating violence between APGA and APC loyalists.
Anambra South remains a politically strategic zone, making it a hotbed of intense rivalries between leading parties.
The incident is expected to fuel tensions ahead of the governorship race in November, where security, vote-buying, and grassroots intimidation are already emerging as flashpoints.
Analysts note that the outcome of these by-elections is shaping the power dynamics ahead of the larger battle for control of Anambra.
For now, the violent scenes in Osumenyi have placed Ukachukwu and APC under heavy criticism, while also raising questions about the state government’s own role in deploying armed vigilantes.
The incident underscores the fragility of Nigeria’s electoral process and the risks voters face when politics degenerates into physical confrontation.
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