Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Council, Rivers State has called off its proposed rally for the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in the state, citing insecurity as major reasons.
Spokesman for the Council, Senator Lee Maeba, alleged, yesterday, the decision followed Governor Nyesom Wike ‘s desire to scuttle the rally.
Maeba said: “Recall that because Atiku did not choose Wike as his vice presidential candidate, which he lobbied for, it resulted in his forming and leading a rebel group, known as G-5 or integrity group, purposely working against the candidate of the party.”
He listed attacks allegedly carried out by Wike against Atiku’s supporters since he failed to clinch his desired political positions.
Some of the attacks, according to him, includes the sealing of a filling station belonging Chinyere Igwe; hospitality business premises of Jones Ogbonda and Ike Chinda.
“On February 5, 2023, 31 members of the Atiku Support Group were arrested during their meeting in Port Harcourt, arraigned and remanded at the
Correctional Centre in Port Harcourt on trumped-up charges of unlawful assembly, conspiracy and cultism. They have been given March 23, 2023 as return date, to keep them out of the election,” he said.
He added: “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 no loss of human life can be tolerated or accepted before, during and after the election and agreed with our principals on the need to shelve and or cancel the rally to avoid any danger.
Meanwhile, Wike, has challenged Sekibo, to disclose to the world the killer of Chief Aminasoari Kala Dikibo, former Vice Chairman, South-South of the PDP.
Speaking at Nyemoni Secondary School field in Abonnema town, venue of PDP campaign for Akuku-Toru Council, yesterday, Wike asserted that Rivers people know Sekibo as sponsor of cult group associated responsible for deaths in the state.
He said: “All of us know who Sekibo is. Don’t we? I use this medium today to challenge Sekibo. I want to ask you wherever you are, can you tell us who killed Dikibo, the former national vice chairman South-South of the PDP.”
Another of such deaths, Wike said was that of Gospel Biobele, who was found death a day after he had written and submitted a petition against Sekibo to challenge his ministerial nomination.
“Who killed chief Gospel Biobele? Biobele was the one, who wrote a petition against Abiye not to be minister when he was nominated. Immediately Biobele wrote the petition, the next day he was killed in his house. Abiye Sekibo, who killed Biobele?”
Wike maintained that Justice Kayode Eso of blessed memory was chairman of Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) set up by the Chibuike Amaechi’s administration, whose report indicted Sekibo as sponsor of cultism in the state.
Ordinarily, I shouldn’t bother myself with a man known for killing, and who is now saying they want to kill him. Abiye, I challenge you. Justice Kayode Eso judicial panel indicted you as the sponsor of cultism in the state. I’m not the one. Justice Eso, justice of the Supreme Court of the blessed memory, who chaired judicial panel of inquiry indicted you.”
Speaking further, Wike stated that it was because of dastardly character that former President Olusegun Obasanjo sacked him as his Minister Of Transport and will not have anything to do with him thereafter.
Wike explained that PDP PCC in Abuja had applied to him seeking approval of a venue to use for their rally in the state, which was approved.
But having realised that they do not have the capacity to mobilise the crowd to fill the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Wike said the PCC went to clear another piece of land in Trans-Amadi Industrial Layout owned by the state government, which was not granted.
Instead of returning to prepare the stadium that was approved, Wike stated that the PCC made spurious allegation of threat to life as the reason why they are putting off holding their rally in Rivers State.
Soliciting votes for PDP consolidation team, governor Wike told PDP members in Akuku-Toru to ensure that they win their individual political units and wards for the party during the general election billed to hold on February 25 and March 11, 2023.
“This may be painful but it 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 security agencies have not been able to rein in and restore confidence in the populace.”
