Atiku’s Campaign Chairman Escapes Assassination in Rivers
Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt
Suspected thugs yesterday morning attacked the Port Harcourt residence of the Rivers State Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Council, Senator Lee Maeba.
THISDAY gathered that the hoodlums jumped through the fence and broke the padlock of the major gate to gain access into the compound to carry out their act.
Although no life was lost during the attack, but the thugs it was learnt, destroyed four vehicles belonging to Senator Maeba, while security personnel who were present when the incident occured escaped seeing the numbers of the invaders.
It was further gathered that Senator Maeba and other supporters of Atiku were supposed to hold a stakeholders meeting at his residence before the attack.
Meanwhile, Senator Maeba has confirmed that the thugs who attacked his house tied his security guard and brutalized his elder brother.
Senator Maeba revealed that before the attack, a young man called him on confidence that he should leave his home that they were hired to attack his home and kill him.
“At about 9am, I left the house to visit my mother-in-law, but before then a young man who claimed I done him favour before, called me that I should be careful if am at home, that they have instruction to attack my house and attack me”.
Senator Maeba also claimed that his only offense was that he is working with Presidential Candidate of PDP.
He regretted that despite several times and video of the attack sent to Commissioner of Police and Inspector General of Police, he is yet to get useful intervention in an urgent situation.
However, Rivers State government has decried an alleged plot by undisclosed group to blackmail the state Governor Nyesom Wike over demands by the G5 governors.
The state government said that some political detractors, seemed vexed over the role of governor Wike in the collective demand by the G-5 of the PDP for demanding for fairness, equity and justice in the party.
The state Commissioner for Information and Communications, Chris Finebone, who spoke to journalists in Port Harcourt, also displayed a unsigned document allegedly bearing the sinister plot of the group.
Finebone said: “This is the evidence of the plot to blackmail Governor Wike. This is the document and it is titled, ‘proposal with hashtag, to end Wike rascality programme.’”
Finebone declared that the development is not totally unexpected by the government and the governor, stressing that those behind it have decided to remain faceless.
“We encouraged them to remove their mask and show themselves as the governor and the government is equal to the task of responding to them adequately.”
Finebone pointed out that the State government already has an idea of the likely identity of the political detractors who are orchestrating the campaign of calumny against governor Wike.
He stated that they are individuals within the party and challenged them to reveal themselves if they are convinced of what they are doing and bold enough for the fight they seek.
“They can’t even sign it (the document) to push for this. It is important we warn them. It is important we also warn Nigerians about this scheme.
“We expect more of them to come. But I can assure you that the governor and the G-5 would rise to the occasion as they continue to start this type of campaign of calumny.”
He however, revealed that the state government would seal-off the premises of the EUI Event Centre on Sani Abacha link Road within the Government Reserved Area (GRA) phase 3, Port Harcourt.
Finebone explained that the reason for shutting down the EUI Event Center was because “The management of EUI Events Center had refused to refrain from blocking an entire stretch of part of Sani Abacha link Road, GRA phase 3 without government approval”.
