The Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Council, PDP PCC, has explained why Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, withdrew the approval of Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, for PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar’s Campaign rally in Port Harcourt.
The Director General of the PDP PCC in the state, Dr Abiye Sekibo, said Wike is working for the emergence of the All Progressives Congress, APC presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, in the February 25, 2023 election.
He stated this in a letter titled, ‘RE: Withdrawal of use of Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium for our Presidential Campaign rally’, dated February 1, 2023, and addressed to Governor Wike.
WITHIN NIGERIA had reported that the Rivers State Government withdrew its earlier verbal approval of the use of the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium for the hosting of the PDP Presidential Campaign rally in Port Harcourt.
Sekibo, a former Minister of Transport alleged that already Wike has directed members of his cabinet, local government chairmen, his aides, and party executives at the various levels in the state to support Tinubu in the election.
The letter reads, “Our attention has been drawn to your letter with reference number MOS/C/409/S49/T/17 dated January 31, 2023, and addressed to His Excellency, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, the Director General of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council who has minuted the said letter to us for our reaction.
“You stated that credible intelligence available to the Government of Rivers State and recent developments now shows that our presidential campaign organisation is working in collaboration and cohort with a faction of the APC in River State led by Tonye Patrick Cole and that it is the intention of our campaign organisation to accommodate and share the approved facility for our campaign with the said faction of the APC.
“We wish to state as follows in reply: We completely deny your assertion as patently false and perverse and we believe that our highly respected security agencies cannot furnish you with such untrue and unfounded lies.
“That the PDP Presidential Campaign Council has nothing whatsoever to do with the APC in Rivers State.
“That it is appalling and highly preposterous for you or anyone to assume that the PDP and APC could jointly hold an event in the same venue.
“We believe that the only reason for this cancellation is Your Excellency’s notice of our massive mobilisation and total acceptance of Waziri Atiku Abubakar as the next President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by the people of River States.
“However we are rather aware by credible information reaching us that Your Excellency has directed all Local Government Council Chairman, Special Advisers, Commissioners, Party Executives at the state, local government, and ward levels, and all other appointees of yours to work for the APC presidential candidate Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu even though you have not had the courage to announce same to the people of Rivers State.
“Your general public utterances, innuendos and conduct have pointed to the fact that you are bent on frustrating and if possible, preventing the emergence of the PDP Presidential candidate, His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar, GCON, Waziri Adamawa, as the next President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Finally, your involvement in the so-called G5 is the height of anti-party activity.
“It is therefore surprising that you are now accusing us of hobnobbing with the APC faction in River State.”