Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has promised to shock the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, whose rally in the state is in doubt, with assistance for the All Progressives Congress, APC, to mobilise 50,000 supporters during the rally of the party’s presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu.
Wike-led G-5 has vowed to boycott the presidential campaign rally of their party, the PDP unless the party’s National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, steps down.
Ayu has refused to harken to that call and they have pledged to support a rival presidential candidate.
Although negotiation with Tinubu hit the rock, Wike has gone ahead to tell anyone who cares to listen that “our enemies would not hold their rally here” and “we are free to support anyone.
“When the time comes, we will tell Rivers people who to vote for,” with reports from reliables sources indicating that all the party structure in the state including government appointees being told to mobilise and campaign for Tinubu.
The tough talking governor last week revoked the approval granted his party’s presidential candidate to hold his rally in the state but made a volte face ordering that “they are free to stage their rally where we would tell them. They can stage their rally.”
The PDP presidential campaign council in the state rejected the fresh directive and all efforts to get a venue has been thwarted by Order 21 enacted by the governor.
The order grants power to the state government to grant approval for any political rally, while forbidding rallies in churches, houses or anywhere unless approved by the state.
But with election less than two weeks away, Wike has reportedly instructed his appointees to make available logical support for the APC candidate.
Supporters too are being mobilized across all the local governments to boost the APC support base.
The APC PCC in the state announced on Sunday evening via a press statement issued by its Chairman of the Local Organising Committee Tony Okocha, that 50,000 supporters would attend the rally billed for February 15, 2023 at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium in Port Harcourt.
Recall Wike approved the venue last week and waived the N5m non-refundable fee.
Okocha said, “We have come here to inspect the facilities at this venue which has been approved by the Rivers State Government.
“One of the reasons why we came is to also assure our presidential candidate that Rivers State is upbeat and that we are ready for him on February 15.
“You can see for yourselves what we have done so far and we want to assure our presidential candidate and the PCC at the national level that we are upbeat, “he stated.
On the likely effect of the division of APC in the state on the rally, he said, “Even though nothing has been advanced to us, we have taken the bull by the horns, and as a people, we feel that no attempt and nobody will attempt to sabotage what the APC is doing in Rivers State.
“So, we have put resources together and we have also mobilised a minimum of 50,000 persons from the 23 local government areas of the state to attend the rally at this particular venue.”
The Whistler
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