Why PDP cancel Atiku presidential rally for Rivers State and how Wike respond

Nigeria opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP don cancel dia presidential Campaign rally wey suppose hold on Tuesday, 14 February, 2023 for Rivers State.

Chairman of di Presidential Campaign Council for Rivers State, Sen. Lee Maeba wey tell tori pipo for Port Harcourt add say di cancellation na to prevent loss of lives and property.

Sen. Maeba observe say di actions of Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike against supporters of di PDP Presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar for di state dey show danger for dem if dem hold di rally for di State.

E add say security agencies never fit guarantee adequate security for di state.

"We di State Campaign Council with di National Presidential Campaign Council, di candidate and di party, as we don see and evaluate di bodi harm and potential death threats believe say no loss of life go dey tolerated or accepted before, during and afta di presidential election and we agree with our principal on di need to cancel di rally to avoid any death becos di victory of Alh. Atiku Abubakar no deserve spilling di blood of any citizen of Rivers State." E tok.

"We pray di President and commander in chief, President Muhammadu Buhari to act decisively by instructing and making sure say di security agencies do dia job for impartial manner wey go restore confidence and buy-in to free and fair elections wey go ensure say no goment of any state go stand in di way of free and fair elections." Di statement tok.

Di PDP Presidential rally bin dey scheduled to hold on Tuesday 14 February 2023 afta many postponements becos dem no fit secure a good venue.

Approval, cancellation and reapproval of venue for PDP Presidential rally

Di PDP Presidential rally bin don suffer many postponements sake of approval and cancellation of venue wia e suppose hold.

On 11 January 2023, di Rivers State Govnor bin approve di Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium for di PDP Presidential rally to hold on 11 February 2023.

Afta members of di Rivers State PDP presidential campaign council go inspect facilities for di venue, di Govnor hala for dem and give new rule for dem to visit di facility only 48 hours to di date of di rally.

But e come cancel di approval on 31 January 2023 sake of intelligence reports say dem plan to share di facility with di All Progressives Congress APC, wey di Govnor say dia activities dey marked wit violence and destruction and so dem no fit risk di state asset.

But on Tuesday 7 February 2023, afta e say some pipo appeal to am, Govnor Wike reapprove di Amiesimaka Stadium for di presidential rally but di Campaign Council refuse to accept am.

Di tok-tok pesin Dr. Leloonu Nwibubasa bin say di same way di Govnor take write officially to cancel di approval e give, make e also use di same way to write to dem with di reapproval, not just to tok for mouth for campaign platform.

Dem bin don also accuse di govnor of using goment house police and oda jaguda pipo to cause katakata afta dem begin look for alternative venue.

"On 9 February 2023, Alabo Abiye Sekibo get information say di venue for di PDP Presidential rally for Rainbow Town dey on fire and im suffer attacks wen im go verify di information.

Fortunately, im escape without any injury by divine providence of God but im vehicle get serious damage with a rain of bullets." Na so Sen Maeba tok.

‘Supporters of Atiku don suffer various attacks for Rivers State’

Sen. Lee Maeba say afta di PDP appoint di Rivers State Presidential Campaign Council for Rivers State with Maeba as Chairman and Abiye Sekibo as Director General, e accuse say di state govnor don plan to frustrate di campaign programme for di state through im agents and supporters.

E list some attacks wey members don suffer since dem set up di council to include physical attack on some supporters of Atiku Abubakar and say many suffer serious injury and damage to dia property.

E say dem arrest 31 Atiku supporters during dia meeting for GRA Port Harcourt; dem arraign dem for court and remand dem for di Port Harcourt Correctional Centre on charges of unlawful assembly, conspiracy and cultism. Di mata dey adjourned to 23 March 2023.

‘Una no get capacity to mobilize pipo for di presidential rally’ - Wike

But Govnor Wike reply di Rivers PDP Presidential Campaign council say di reason wey make dem cancel di rally na becos dem no get capacity to mobilize pipo.

Govnor Wike explain say di PDP PCC for Abuja bin don apply to am for approval of a venue to use for dia rally in di state, wey im approve.

But wen dem realise say dem no get di capacity to mobilise di crowd to fill di Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, di PCC wan go clear anoda piece of land for di Trans-Amadi Industrial Layout wey dey owned by di state goment, and e no grant am.

Instead of returning to prepare di stadium wey dey approved, Wike say di PCC dey make false allegation of threat to life as di reason why dem dey cancel dia rally in Rivers State.

“I give dem di stadium, dem know say dem no get capacity to fill the stadium, dem dey look for excuses. Dem wan go force demsefs to use goment land at Trans Amadi. I say no, dat no be wia I give you. Wia I give you na Adokiye Amiesimaka, go and fill dat place.

“Dem come say no, we no go go dia again. We no want pipo to die. Who is killing who? Anybody dey kill anybody? I say no pay money, I go buy di diesel for you. I go do evritin for you. Mobilise, go and fill dat stadium. Dem run away.” Wike tok.