The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State has refuted reports that the party is sponsoring attacks on political opponents in the state.
This is as the group of five PDP Governors, otherwise known as the G5 Governors; other Wike allies are expected to storm Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital on Friday (today) for the party’s campaign flag-off.
Addressing journalists in Port Harcourt on Thursday, the Director General of the PDP Campaign Council in Rivers State, Felix Obuah, also debunked reports that the party is sponsoring thugs to attack political opponents.
The most recent report was by the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party, Senator Magnus Abe, who alleged that the State PDP Chairman, Ambassador Desmond Akawor, sponsored armed youths to disrupt his political engagement in Oyigbo Local Government Area where the PDP chairman comes from.
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Mr. Obuah said the PDP is too organized and does not have a competition in the elections that would warrant its involvement in political thuggery. He dismissed the reports of attacks as fallout of some of the internal wranglings in the opposition parties.
The G5 which includes Samuel Ortom of Benue State, Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, and Nyesom Wike of Rivers State will be in Rivers in continuation of their state by state solidarity visit.
The governors, who are bonded by a common course to seek inclusiveness in the party, had recently introduced a political strategy to jointly visit each other to merry, commission projects, and flag off state-level campaigns.
They have so far visited Benue and Enugu states and their next port of call is Rivers.
Obuah said the governors will arrive in the state on Friday. While in Port Harcourt, Governor Wike will host his colleagues to a state banquet at the Government House on Friday Night. On Saturday, members of the G5 governors will be the special guests at the flag-off of the campaign of the Peoples Democratic Party at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium.
The Director General of the Rivers State PDP Campaign Council, Obuah applauded the G5 Governors “for remaining the soul and conscience of the PDP”.
The council also expressed its preparedness to unveil its governorship candidate, Siminalayi Fubara, and engage in an issue-based campaign to win the 2023 elections to consolidate the good effort of Governor Wike.
“We believe that the fresh mandate shall strengthen a shared vision of great prosperity and progress. And ensure the consolidation of the new Rivers vision which has given birth to an evolving era of great enduring works, great transformation, and resounding achievements,” he said.
He urged Rivers people to “resist people who are lying and trying to deceive them”, and that they neither have the capacity to deliver in office as elected persons nor the capability and expertise to take the state to greater heights.
