The Rivers State Government has firmly dismissed allegations that it deliberately blocked a pro-President Bola Tinubu political group from utilising the Yakubu Gowon Stadium in Elekahia, Port Harcourt, for the inauguration of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors.
The controversy erupted on Friday when Ambassador Desmond Akawor, Rivers State Coordinator of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors – a grassroots organisation mobilising support for President Tinubu’s re-election in 2027, accused the state administration of denying the group access to the stadium.
The event was subsequently relocated to the Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic, another state-owned facility.
Ambassador Akawor’s claim gained traction when FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, speaking at the rescheduled ceremony, warned that any future denial of access would prompt supporters to forcibly enter the stadium, asserting that “heaven will not fall” if the facility is breached.
But the Rivers State Government swiftly countered the accusations, branding them “false and misleading.”
In a statement following an on-site inspection of the stadium on Friday evening, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information and Communications, Dr. Honour Sirawoo, explained that the Yakubu Gowon Stadium is undergoing comprehensive reconstruction and remains unsafe for public events.
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Accompanied by Commissioner for Sports who also doubles as Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General, Barrister Christopher Green, and guided by site engineer Michael Ebitenye, Dr. Sirawoo emphasised that the ongoing works – handled by contracting firm Monimichelle Sports Facilities Construction Limited – have rendered the venue unfit for large gatherings.
“The level of reconstruction makes it impossible for any group to use the facility at this time,” Sirawoo told journalists.
He urged political actors to prioritise the state’s interest over personal ambitions, reminding them that “there is life after politics.”
Barrister Green reinforced the position, noting that his office received no formal request for the stadium’s use.
He described the allegations as baseless, pointing out the that the alternative venue – Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic – is also owned by the Rivers State Government.
The Project Site engineer Ebitenye highlighted specific hazards, warning that heavy human traffic could damage underground pipes beneath the pitch and pose serious safety risks in the VIP sections and other renovation zones.
He stressed that the contractors remain committed to protecting lives and property, refusing to allow events in the facility regardless of political affiliation.
The Renewed Hope Ambassadors inauguration proceeded successfully at the polytechnic amid a large turnout, but the exchange has once again spotlighted the lingering political tensions between pro-Wike forces and the Fubara administration.
