The Presidential Campaign Council of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State, has raised the alarm over alleged plot by Rivers State governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, to hire militants, dressed in T-shirts with the inscription ‘Atiku Supporters In Rivers State’, to destroy campaign billboards of the party’s governorship candidate in the State, Siminalaye Fubara.
Addressing journalists in Port Harcourt on Saturday, spokesman of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council in the state, Dr. Lenoonu Nwibubasa, said the T-shirts were kept in the custody of one Prince Chikodi Wike.
Nwibubasa said: “While we conduct ourselves as supporters of Atiku, we will continue to he law-abiding. We want to make it categorically clear that information reaching us has it last night; we are aware that in the house of one Prince Chikodi Wike, T-shirts have been shared with the inscription ‘Atiku Supporters In Rivers State’
“And certain youths have been commissioned to demolish billboards that belong to the governorship candidate of Rivers State, Sim Fubara. And this same youths should go to public places to destroy public goods of people and they will be named as supporters of Atiku who have come to Rivers State to cause destruction.
“We want to inform the Rivers populace that Atiku supporters are law-abiding. The people you shall see in such T-shirts are not Atiku supporters but militants that have been enrolled by the governor of Rivers State to cause breach of peace.
“We are calling on law enforcement agents, the state Commissioner of Police, the Director of DSS, to quickly swing into action and watch out for people that will be wearing T-shirts calling themselves Atiku Abubakar’s supporters, inscribed at the back of the T-shirts to unleash terror on innocent citizens of Rivers State.
“They should be arrested because they don’t belong to Atiku Abubakar. Atiku Abubakar is a man that loves peace and he has always worked to unify Nigeria.”
But, in a swift reaction, the New Rivers Vision Consolidation Campaign Council, has described the allegation as “false, frivolous and malicious.”
Speaking with LEADERSHIP in Port Harcourt, spokesman of the campaign council, Hon. Ogbonna Nwuke, wondered how Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, who is supporting PDP candidates will sponsored militants to pull down the party’s campaign billboards.
Nwuke said: “Frankly, this kind of allegation is alien. First, we must note that we are PDP and His Excellency, the governor of Rivers State is supporting the PDP candidates. So, we cannot imagine how the team that is loyal to the governor of Rivers State will court the plan. It does not exist. It only exists in the mind of the man who represents Atiku here in Rivers State. We are focused on issues; issues will win this election.
“Now, the tendency to engage in violence, to engage in subtle intimidation does not arise. There is a scorecard on the table and that scorecard shows that the governor of Rivers State has done exceedingly well. It shows that across the country, many Nigerians agree Governor Wike has performed. Even the Presidency in this recent recognition of Nigerians have recognized that fact.
“We would not have made any comment at all because this is false, frivolous and malicious. But, for the avoidance of doubt, we want to let the Nigerian people know, we want to let the Rivers people know that at no time have we considered any such plan to pull down billboards. So, why should we pull down billboards that belong to Sim Fubara? Why should we do that?”
