Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has reapproved the use of the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium in Port Harcourt for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential campaign rally slated for February 11.
Recall that the state government had on January 31 withdrawn the initial approval given to the PDP presidential campaign council over its alleged plan to share the facility with a faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) loyal to the party’s governorship candidate in the state, Tonye Cole.
However, speaking during the Rivers PDP campaign rally in the Ogu/Bolo local government area of the state on Tuesday, Wike confirmed the new approval.
He said the state government reconsidered its decision on the use of the venue after pleas by prominent people in the state and beyond.
“This morning after an appeal from people who talked to me, I have given them back Adokiye Amiesimaka. Go and campaign. Let it not be that because they didn’t campaign, that is why they didn’t win in Rivers State.”
The governor also dismissed as false a claim by Iyorchia Ayu, the national chairman of the PDP, that a member of the G-5 had visited him in a bid to find his way back to the party.
According to him, Ayu lied and neither he nor any G-5 governor went to the residence of Ayu.
The Rivers State governor stated that “they are who they are” and this is not the first time such insinuation has been made, but that the G-5 governors would win the battle in PDP at the end of the day.
“Nobody can blackmail us. We’ll never go and meet anybody. We are who we are. This is not the first time we have battled. This battle we will win at the end of the day.”
Speaking further, Wike said Siminialayi Fubara remains the authentic candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the Supreme Court of Nigeria on Tuesday, dismissed an appeal brought before it by Farah Dagogo, with claims to be the gubernatorial candidate.
The governor maintained that there is no disputation over the candidature of Fubara as the PDP gubernatorial candidate for Rivers State.
He said he had to make the explanation because of the apprehension that some party members had expressed sequel to rumours that there was a plot to replace Fubara as the gubernatorial candidate of the party in Rivers State.
He mocked plotters against the interest of the State saying that he is always ahead of them and urged them to also return home to implement their plot.
“Supreme Court dismissed the appeal by Farah. I can tell you there is nothing we do not know about what they want to plot from the up. If you plot finish, come down and implement it.”
Campaigning for Fubara, Governor Wike said the consolidation team will continue with his development strides and consolidate on the gains made by him.
He informed that like other promises that he fulfilled, his administration has paid 50 percent for the Eteo-Ogu Road and awarded the contract for the construction of the Eli landing jetty, which demanded their leaders made when they met with him on January 14, 2023.
These, he noted, were in addition to other projects like Ogu sand filling project, Bolo-K-Dere link bridge, kpogo-Wakama Road, Bolo Internal Roads, and the rebuilding of the Government Secondary School, Ogu, which was demolished by former governor Chibuike Amaechi.
On his part, Rivers State governorship candidate of the PDP, Fubara, thanked the people for their massive turnout, which is a pointer of their support for the party.
He assured that his administration will work with critical stakeholders including traditional leaders to maintain the peace, which will engender development.
 presidential campaign rally slated for February 11.){kind=link}