Wike trying to stifle political space with Executive Order 21 – Tonye Cole

The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers state, Tonye Cole, has reacted to the Executive Order 21 of the State Government prohibiting political parties from holding campaigns and rallies in public facilities in the state.

Governor Nyesom Wike on Friday, signed an Executive Order 21 prohibiting political parties from using public schools for political rallies without the approval of the state ministry of education.

Wike said the application for approval must be submitted at least two weeks before the date of any proposed campaign, adding that the applicants will deposit the sum of five million caution fees.

The governor also stressed that local council chairmen have the right to stop any rally holding without an approval, adding that the state government will not allow political parties and their supporters to disturb the peace in the state with political campaigns.

In a statement signed by Sogbeye Eli, spokesperson of Tonye Cole Campaign Organization, the governorship candidate described the law as “obnoxious” stating that such action was directed at stifling the political space for the opposition parties in the state.

The statement reads, “We have noticed with great dismay the unfortunate attempt by the Governor of Rivers State, Mr. Nyesom Wike, to stifle the political space for opposition political parties in Rivers State with his recent signing into law an obnoxious Executive Order 21, which prohibits the use of public schools, built by taxpayers money of Rivers people, for political parties’ event without the prior approval of the state ministry of education (not the school authority vested with the authority to manage the facilities) and the payment of an obscene unrefundable (sic) amount of N5 Million.”

According to Cole, “We state unequivocally that Executive Order 21 is deliberate and part of the plot by the Governor to stifle competition from other political parties.

“It is another manifestation of his penchant to brutally crush and suppress opposition in a multi-party democracy instead of allowing citizens exercise their freedom of choice as enshrined in the Constitution. We are therefore not surprised that Wike would tow this path in his resolve to impose a lackey on Rivers State as his successor in office.”

The governorship candidate noted that it was highly unfortunate that while the rest of the nation under President Muhammadu Buhari’s leadership is opening up the electoral space for the free and fair participation of everybody regardless of political, religious or tribal inclinations, the Rivers State government is refusing to embrace change and attempting to take the state back to the dark era.

He urged the 23 Local Government Councils chairmen in the State who have been directed by the Governor to enforce the directive under Executive Order 21 not to allow themselves to be misled by the government by enforcing the order.

The statement continued, “the All Progressives Congress shall campaign with our candidates across the length and breadth of Rivers State as provided under the Constitution and as prescribed by law.

“We will neither succumb to intimidation nor accept the presentation of a fait accompli by Executive Order 21 to political parties other than the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on which platform they and the Governor were elected in the first place.

“We draw the attention of those to whom it may concerned that the enforcement of that Order howsoever by the Council Chairmen would amount to a brazen affront on our constitutional rights as political parties and a campaign organization.

“We urge them to resist the lure of exercise of power that can only result in anarchy from the resistance of the parties and candidates targeted by the obnoxious Executive Order 21.”