AN attempt by some senatorial candidates to snatch ballot boxes from the Nnewi North Local Government Secretariat reportedly resulted in heavy gunfire in Nnewi town on Sunday, February 26.

It was learnt that the incident involved the top contenders in the Anambra South Senatorial District election.

The parties involved, reportedly, include the sitting Senator Ifeanyi Ubah who is also the candidate of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), Chief Chris Uba, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the incumbent member of the House of Representatives, Chris Azubogu, who is contesting on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

The trio were engaged in a battle at the secretariat, which also serves as the collation centre for the local government.

It was gathered that one of the candidates stormed the collation centre with thugs, attempting to hijack the ballot box while INEC officials were still counting the votes.

But the group was countered by thugs loyal to another candidate. The clash resulted in sporadic gunfire.

However, efforts by The ICIR to get the  spokesperson of the Anambra State Police Command, Ikenga Tochukwu, to react to the incident were not successful. Calls to his mobile telephone numbers did not go through.