2023: Don’t Let Political Thugs Turn Rivers Into Battlefield, Atiku Supporters Tell IGP

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Council in Rivers State, has called on the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, not to allow political thugs to turn the State into a battlefield ahead of the 2023 general elections.

This is as it condemned the attack on the youth leader of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council in the State, Rhino Owhokire, and his brother, by unknown gunmen on Wednesday night at Aluu in Ikwerre local government area of the State.

Director of the State Campaign Management Committee, Dr. Abiye Sekibo, in a statement made available to LEADERSHIP in Port Harcourt on Friday, also called on the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS) and other security agencies in the country, to closely monitor developments in the State.

The statement reads in part: “On December 9, 2022, we drew the attention of the nation to the dastardly attack on the residence of the Chairman, Rivers State PDP Presidential Campaign Council, the Distinguished Senator Lee Maeba, by political thugs believed to be working under the directives of the Obio/
Akpor local government council Chairman.

“Unfortunately the Commissioner of Police in Rivers State, has dismissed the attack as having been masterminded by the Distinguished Senator on himself.

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“On December 14, 2022, at about 9:00PM; the members of the Rivers State PDP Presidential Council received reports of armed attack on Mr. Rhino Owhorkire, a youth leader of the Atiku Presidential Campaign team in Rivers State and his cousin, in Ikwerre local government area.

“They were both shot while returning from a PDP Presidential Campaign event. They both sustained life threatening injuries, and are currently on admission at an Intensive Care Unit.

“Mr. Rhino suffered similar attacks few weeks back when he was physically assaulted and asked to renounce his support for the PDP Presidential Candidate, His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar (Warizin
Adamawa); on the orders of the Ikwerre local government council Chairman.

“These attacks, threats to life, and destruction of properties of persons supporting Atiku Abubakar in Rivers State, by thugs sponsored by certain individuals; seeking to instill fear in law abiding citizens of Rivers State is increasingly becoming unbearable, and requires the urgent and unrelenting professional intervention of the Police and all other security agencies.

“Indeed, we believe that the overwhelming video evidence of this armed attack against Rhino and his cousin, the verdict of the Commissioner of Police would not be that these persons masterminded an assassination attempt on themselves, just as he erroneously claimed in the case of the Distinguished Senator Lee Maeba.

“In Rivers State today, it is becoming evident that the offices of local government council Chairman has been weaponized by the Governor and used to recruit thugs and unleash mayhem on the supporters of His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar (Wazirin Adamawa), as witnessed in Okrika, Obio/Akpor, and Ikwerre local government areas of the State.

“Accordingly, the Campaign Council and all lovers of peace in Rivers State, and Nigeria at large; are again, calling on the Inspector-General of Police, the Director-General of the Department of State Services and all other security agencies of government to move in and prevent the sponsors of these thugs form turning Rivers Stare into a battlefield; before, during and after the 2023
General Elections.

“The lives of Rivers people, and other citizens, including foreign residents in the State are precious, and nothing should be left undone to preserve these lives from unwanted
attacks.

“We continue to stand for a peaceful election in all parts of Rivers State and Nigeria at large. Lets give peace a chance in Rivers State. No one has the monopoly of violence, and we must not be forced to resort to self-help. This is an open plea to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forced of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”