PDP cancels presidential marketing campaign rally in Rivers

Nigeria’s main opposition social gathering, the Peoples Democratic Celebration (PDP) has cancelled its presidential marketing campaign rally in Rivers State initially scheduled for Tuesday.

Chairperson of the PDP Presidential Marketing campaign Council (PDP PCC) within the state, Lee Maeba, disclosed this whereas briefing reporters in Port Harcourt on Monday.

Mr Maeba, a former senator from the state, mentioned they delay the rally due to the menace to the lifetime of its members and supporters of Atiku Abubakar within the state, Management newspaper reported.

Mr Atiku, Nigeria’s former vice chairman, is the PDP presidential candidate for 25 February election.

Mr Maeba, who didn’t give a brand new date for the rally, described the cancellation as “painful”.

Assaults, arrest

Gunmen suspected to be political thugs had invaded Mr Maeba’s residence in Port Harcourt in December final yr.

Punch newspaper reported that the gunmen shot sporadically on the ex-lawmaker’s entrance earlier than breaking in and destroying 5 automobiles as residents scampered for security.

This newspaper earlier reported how over 20 supporters of Mr Atiku who had been arrested allegedly on Governor Nyesom Wike’s order, had been arraigned earlier than a Justice of the Peace Courtroom within the state.

Armed law enforcement officials invaded a gathering venue to arrest them.

Just a few days in the past, Day by day Belief reported how Abiye Sekibo, the director basic of the Rivers PDP PCC escaped an assault after gunmen wearing police uniform reportedly opened hearth on his automobile in Port Harcourt.

Mr Maeba blamed the assaults on Governor Wike.

Mr Wike was one of many 12 PDP aspirants that was defeated by Mr Atiku through the social gathering’s presidential major in Could final yr.

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Since then the Rivers State Governor has been at loggerhead with the previous vice chairman and the nationwide management of the PDP. He (Mr Wike) withdrew his membership of the Atiku marketing campaign council and boycotted its actions.

Mr Maeba mentioned Mr Atiku’s supporters within the state have been struggling totally different life-threatening assaults since Mr Wike misplaced the first to the previous vice chairman.

“He (Wike) has brazenly branded members of the PDP Presidential Marketing campaign Council and all supporters of the presidential candidate as enemies of the state and vowed to crush them. Video proof abounds to assist our assertion.

“He admitted finishing up that assault on Abiye Sekibo and Lee Maeba in his earlier assertion at Eleme throughout a gubernatorial marketing campaign rally on Friday, February 10, 2023.

“He boasted that the 2 armed robbers, Mr Sekibo and Mr Maeba, had been chased away after they got here to take a land belonging to the Rivers State authorities and so they had been fortunate they ran away earlier than his arrival on the scene. He tried to make an unimpressive denial which doesn’t maintain water the subsequent day,” Mr Maeba mentioned.

PDP lacks capability to fill stadium – Wike

Governor Wike had earlier accepted the 38, 000 seater capability Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium for the PDP presidential rally within the state however later cancelled the approval.

After Mr Wike’s cancellation of the rally venue, Mr Sekibo had gone to examine another venue for the rally within the Rainbow space of Port Harcourt when he got here beneath an assault from gunmen.

Mr Sekibo’s automobile was reportedly riddled with bullets and the venue of the rally set ablaze, in line with Day by day Belief newspaper.

Days earlier than the 14 February rally, Governor Wike made a U-turn, rescinded his earlier cancellation and ordered the PDP PCC to return to the stadium for the rally.

Reacting to the cancellation of the presidential rally on allegation of menace to life, Mr Wike dismissed it as “spurious”, saying the PDP PCC lacked the capability to fill the stadium.

“I gave them the stadium, they know they don’t have any capability to fill the stadium, they’re searching for excuses. They went and compelled themselves to make use of authorities land at Trans Amadi. I mentioned no, that was not the place I gave you. The place I gave you was Adokiye Amiesimaka, go and fill that place.

“They now mentioned no, we received’t go there once more. We don’t need individuals to die. Who’s killing who? Is anyone killing anyone? I mentioned don’t pay cash, I’ll purchase the diesel for you. I’ll do all the things for you. Mobilise, go and fill that stadium. They ran away.”

Mr Wike said this at Nyemoni Secondary Faculty discipline in Abonnema city, venue of (the Rivers State) PDP marketing campaign in Akuku-Toru Native Authorities Space on Monday.

Spokesperson to the governor, Kelvin Ebiri said this in an announcement he despatched to PREMIUM TIMES on Tuesday.

Backstory

Mr Wike has repeatedly mentioned that his grievance towards Mr Atiku is that he reneged on an alleged promise to make sure the exit of the Nationwide Chairman of the social gathering, Iyorchia Ayu, so {that a} southerner can lead the social gathering for the sake of a “regional steadiness”.

Messrs Atiku and Ayu are each northerners.

Mr Wike now leads the G5, a gaggle of PDP governors who’re aggrieved with Mr Atiku and the PDP management.

Governor Samuel Ortom (Benue), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) and Seyi Makinde (Oyo) are the opposite members of the G5.

Members of the group who had been appointed into the Atiku presidential marketing campaign council, withdrew their membership and boycotted its inauguration.