PDP Cancels Presidential Campaign Rally in Rivers over Attacks on Members

•Wike replies party, says allegations spurious 

•You do not have capacity to fill approved stadium, governor taunts PDP members

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) in Rivers State, yesterday announced the cancellation of its planned rally for its presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and running mate, Ifeanyi Okowa in the state, following allegation of incessant attacks on its members.

But in a swift reaction, Rivers State Governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike, described the allegation as spurious, saying the party took the decision to cancel the rally because they didn’t have the capacity to mobilise the crowd to fill the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium.

The presidential campaign council had planned to hold the rally today, but there had been series of reported attacks on Atiku’s supporters.

Owing to this, the PCC members told journalists that to avoid serious disaster or loss of lives by some suspected desperate politicians who would not want the rally to hold, they decided to cancel the rally until a date not yet made public.

Leading the PCC members in the briefing held in Port Harcourt, Chairman of the PCC in the state, Senator Lee Maeba, alleged that the state Government House Police and other hoodlums had continued to throw unabated violence, making it difficult for them to secure a peaceful facility for the rally.

Other members at the briefing were the Director General of the PCC in the state, Dr. Abiye Sekibo; the immediate past National Chairman of PDP, Uche Secondus; former Governor Celestine Omehia; Senator George Sekibo, Dr. Tamunosisi Gogo-Jaja, Hon Chinyere Igwe, others.

Maeba, who recounted the series of attacks on the Atiku/Okowa supporters in the state, disclosed how a supporter was almost shot dead while pasting posters of the presidential candidate in one of the Rivers communities.

He also recalled the recent attack on the DG of the campaign council few days ago, when he visited the proposed venue for the campaign on alert that the equipment were on fire.

The PCC Chairman alleged that: “Governor of Rivers State in his avowed desire to scuttle and frustrate the campaign program of the party has carried out the following through his agents and acolytes.

“On the apparent bad faith and the invidious design of the Governor, he after a long wait, approved the use of Adokiye Amesiamaka Stadium for the presidential rally, but upon the Campaign Council visiting the Stadium to ascertain the status of the facilities, he berated their visit and put a new rule as they can only visit the stadium 48 hours to the fixed date of the rally.

“Regrettably and predictably, the governor canceled the approval on the flimsy excuse that our part wants to hold a joint rally with APC in Rivers State on the approved date of 11th February, 2023 to foment trouble.

“This unstable and unreliable stand made the Campaign Council to scout for an alternative venue and got a private entity land at Rainbow Town Port Harcourt.

“The Governor with the use of Government House Police and other hoodlums has thrown unabated violence, make it impossible to secure peaceful use of the facility.

“This is in tandem with the instruction of the Governor to his LGA Chairmen and other appointees of Government to exterminate, scuttle and bring to failure any campaign for vote for the candidate of PDP in the Presidential Election.

“This is also supported by the ex parte injunction obtained from the Magistrate court by his Attorney General, a court without jurisdiction to seal all campaign offices of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in Rivers State.

“This is also part of the wider plot to maliciously put away members of the campaign council until the presidential election is over on frivolous charges.

“In the light of the above submission, we the State Campaign Council in total constructive engagement with the National Presidential Campaign Council, the candidate and the party having seen and evaluated the bodily harm and hurt and potential death believes that no loss of human life can be tolerated or accepted before, during and after and agreed with our principals on the need to shelve and or cancel the rally to avoid any deaths.

“This may be painful, but is the best decision to take as no human death can be excused on the insistent of holding the rally due to the brigandage which the security agencies have not been able to rein in and restore confidence security wise on the populace.

“We make bold to say so in the last preceding paragraph as Section 91(1) and (4) of the Electoral Act 2022 gave the part the right to hold rally and processions with police and other security apparatus of the federal government of Nigeria providing

adequate security, but it is to forthcoming and we do not intent to take the laws into our hands believing and paying allegiance to the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria without derogation.”

Meanwhile, Wike has explained that the cancellation of the PDP presidential campaign rally was not because of any form of threat to members who are in support of Atiku/Okowa electoral bid.

The Rivers state governor explained that the PCC in Abuja, had applied to him seeking approval of a venue to use for their rally in the state, which he had approved.

 Wike, while speaking yesterday, at the PDP campaign for Akuku-Toru Local Government Area, in the State, further explained that having realised that they do not have the capacity to mobilise the crowd to fill the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, the PCC went to clear another piece of land in Trans-Amadi Industrial Layout owned by the state government, which was not granted.

Wike, insisted that instead of returning to prepare the stadium that was approve, “the PCC are making spurious allegation of threat to life as the reason why they are putting off their rally in Rivers State.”

He added: “I gave them the stadium, they know they have no capacity to fill the stadium, they are looking for excuses. They went and forced themselves to use government land at Trans Amadi.  I said no, that was not where I gave you. Where I gave you was Adokiye Amiesimaka, go and fill that place.

“They now said no, we won’t go there again. We don’t want people to die. Who is killing who? Is anybody killing anybody? I said don’t pay money, I will buy diesel for you; I will do everything for you. Mobilise, go and fill that stadium. They ran away.”

Soliciting for votes for PDP in the state, Wike told PDP members in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area to ensure that they win their respective political units and wards for the party during the general election billed to hold on February 25th and March 11, 2023.