Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has threatened to stop the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar’s planned rally in Portharcourt.
It was gathered that Wike said he would take whatever action he deemed fit if the Rivers State PDP presidential campaign council director general does any activity on the approved venue, except two days before the campaign date.
Governor Wike made the threat while speaking at the campaign flag-off rally by the Rivers State PDP Campaign Council in Oyigbo Local Government Area on Friday.
He warned Abiye Sekibo the Director-General of the PCC in Rivers State, stating that he has no right to take possession of the stadium one month before the date of the stipulated event.
“Let me also use this opportunity to warn Abiye Sekibo. We have made approval for your presidential candidate to use Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, on February 11th. You have no right to begin to go to the stadium now. We cannot give you access to the stadium now. We can only give you access to the stadium two days to the occasion for you to prepare,” Wike said.
The G-5 governors leader said Sekibo was looking for excuses and on what to lay hands on because he knew the presidential campaign rally would not be successful. He said any other activity for the presidential candidate at the stadium earlier than two days before 11 February would lead to the cancellation of the approval granted.
“Nobody gave you one month. So, if you dare it again, to go and force yourself into the stadium, I will cancel the approval with immediate effect. Dare it again, I will cancel it. Heaven will not fall. In fact, if heaven falls now, we will be happy that it was in our time heaven came down.
“I know you are not ready to do that rally. You are only looking for an excuse. But you must do it. I know you are going to import people, no problems, go and import. We have given you the stadium,” Wike added.
The Rivers State governor along with other team governors – Makinde of Oyo, Ikpeazu of Abia, Ugwuanyi of Enugu and Ortom of Benue – has been at dagger-drawn length with the leadership of the PDP and its presidential candidate, Atiku, since the May 2022 convention which produces the former vice president as candidate of the party.
