“Your Campaign Promotes APC” – Wike Pulls The Plug On Stadium For Atiku’s Rally

• Wike and Atiku are members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

• Both men have been at loggerheads for several months over alleged injustice in the party leadership.

• Their relationship hit a new low on Tuesday as the Rivers government informed the Atiku campaign that it was withdrawing the approval of the campaign’s rally venue.

Eko Hot Blog reports that Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike’s administration has withdrawn the approval of the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium for the PDP presidential campaign rally.

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The Rivers government had on January 11, 2023, approved the venue for the event scheduled for February 11, 2023.

In a letter dated January 31, 2023, and addressed to the Director-General of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council, Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto State, the government said it was withdrawing the approval because it had “credible intelligence” that the PDP is working with a faction of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC).

The letter, which was signed by the Rivers Commissioner for Sports, Christopher Green, alleged that the PDP campaign planned to share the approved facility with the APC faction which is allegedly known for being violent.

The government said it could not allow the venue to be used and destroyed, hence its withdrawal of the prior approval.

“Credible intelligence available to the Government of Rivers State and recent developments now show that your Presidential Campaign Organization is working in collaboration and in-cahoots with a faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State led by Tonye Patrick Cole and that it is the intention of your Presidential Campaign Organization to accommodate and share the approved facility for your campaign with the said faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC),” the letter reads.

“Government records show that the activities of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State have always been marred by violence due largely to irreconcilable internal conflicts within the party including shootings and killings in the course of protests arising from the nomination process of delegates for primaries (Sahara Reporters, May 18, 2022) and detonation of explosives in the course of Campaigns (Explosion rocks APC Campaign in Rivers – Thisdaylive.com, 20 January, 2023), see also Punch Newspaper of 26 May, 2022.

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“The Rivers state Government is unable to risk damage to or destruction of the very valuable and priced asset, the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium which your use of the same in collaboration with your Tonye Patrick Cole APC faction will definitely expose in the circumstance, the Rivers State Government has come to the painful but inevitable decision to withdraw the approval earlier given to you for the use of the stadium and the said approval is hereby withdrawn.”

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