A rally organised on Saturday by the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri, suffered  a crisis with party faithful engaged in fisticuffs.

Supporters of the party’s governorship candidate in the state, Mr Hope Uzodinma,  and those of his Action Alliance (AA) counterpart, Mr Uche Nwosu, who was a former member of APC, engaged  in a fight at the APC women and youths rally.

Supporters of Nwosu were chanting victory songs and raising his posters in the air when the clash  began.

Security operatives, however, intervened,  shooting sporadically in the air while warding off the VIP stand where Wife of the Vice President, Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo, who represented Wife of President Muhammadu Buhari, Aisha, was seated alongside other dignitaries.

The wife of the vice president who watched the show of shame wore an uneasy look as the APC and AA men exchanged blws amid gunshots from security men to quell the fight.

NAN reports that at least three persons were injured as the crowd dispersed following the gunshots.

Reacting, Gov. Rochas Okorocha alleged that the fight was caused by thugs hired by Uzodinma.

He described the relationship between AA and APC in the state as good, but  added that Uzodinma would not win the governorship election.

He said, “Hope Uzodinma can never win the governorship election in the state. The alliance between AA and APC is a perfect one.

“We are working to deliver President Buhari and Uche Nwosu in the state.”

Mrs Osinbajo, however, told the crowd to vote for Buhari and APC candidates in the forthcoming elections.

Speaking to NAN, a top politician in the state, who pleaded anonymity, asked why the AA governorship candidate should attend a rally organised by the APC.