Florence Uwaeme
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has defended his administration’s action to cancel the approval it earlier granted the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Council to use a stadium in the state for its rally.
The State Government January 11 approved the use of the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium for the PDP presidential really, which is fixed for February 11.
However, in a statement dated January 31, 2023, addressed to the Director General of the Campaign Council and Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, the Rivers State Government, through the Commissioner for Sports, Christopher Green, said the approval has been cancelled.
The government, in the statement, accused the PDP Presidential Campaign Council of collaborating with the All Progressives Congress (APC), which is in opposition in Rivers.
Speaking during the Rivers State PDP campaign rally in the Degema Local Government Area, Wike said the action by the government is in the interest of the state.
He said the intelligence report, at its disposal, indicated that the PDP Presidential Campaign Council is to share the use of the facility with the APC, whose activities, he said, have been characterised by violence and destruction.
Wike said his government could not downplay the validity of the intelligence and expose the sporting facility for destruction.
The governor also countered claims by the opposition parties that the recent laws on the use of public facilities for political campaigns are aimed at frustrating the opposition parties in the state from holding campaign rallies to solicit votes.
He said those criticising the signing of Executive Orders 21 and 22, which seek a deposit of five million naira caution for the use of public school premises for campaigns and restrict the posting of campaign materials on public infrastructure like flyovers, are attention seekers who cannot win elections.
He charged the people of Degema to move around the units to mobilise voters for the elections.
He said real voters would determine victory in this year’s election and the people’s vote would count.
