Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has approved the State-owned Yakubu Gowon Stadium, located at the popular Elekahia road, Port Harcourt, Rivers State for the campaign rally of APC presidential candidate, Ahmed Bola Tinubu. The rally is slated to hold on the 15th of February, 2023.
Recall that Governor Wike, who earlier spoke at the State PDP campaign rally in the Ogu/Bolo local government area on Tuesday, reportedly said the State government had also reapproved the use of the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium in the State capital, for the PDP presidential campaign rally.
Rivers State Coordinator of Bola Ahmed Bola Tinubu Campaign Organization in Rivers State, Chief Tony Okocha who spoke to Journalists in Port Harcourt on Wednesday said all arrangements have been put in place to ensure a hitch-free rally for the APC presidential candidate.
Okocha said that governor Wike out of his magnanimity approved the use of the Stadium without collecting the required fees of N5m for the group.
“His Excellency the Executive Governor of Rivers State in his usual magnanimity has granted approval of an alternate venue, the Yakubu Gowon Stadium, Elekahia , Port Harcourt for the presidential campaign rally scheduled to hold on 15th, February 2023 absolutely free of charge but subject to the issuance of a written guarantee of the safety and security of the facilities at the venue due to the violence recorded in recent campaign rallies by the governorship standard bearer of the party in the State,” he said.
He said that 11 man committee has been set up to coordinate and ensure the successful hosting of the rally in the State.
He said that many attempts were made by those he described as anti- Tinubu forces in the party to scuttle the campaign rally saying that the group was smarter enough to nip their plot in the bud.
He said that the campaign committee in the State has done its homework to ensure that the presidential candidate of APC won the election in the State.
He said that the Tinubu campaign organization in the State is not in support of the call by a section of APC members in the State for the declaration of a State of emergency in the State and called on politicians in the State to embrace peace and ensure that politics is played without violence.
Meanwhile, Governor Nyesom Wike had re-issued approval for the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to use the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium in the State capital, for its presidential campaign rally,
Recall that the State government had on January 31, 2023, withdrawn the initial approval for the use of the facility granted on January 11 on the grounds that credible intelligence and certain development showed that the PDP Presidential Campaign Council was allegedly working in collaboration with the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State.
The State government had said that it understood that the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation was intending to share the approved facility with the APC whose activities were allegedly characterized by violence and destruction.
However, the PDP Presidential Campaign Council in the State denied the allegations by Rivers State.
Meanwhile, Governor Wike, who spoke at the State PDP campaign rally in the Ogu/Bolo local government area on Tuesday, said the State government has reapproved the use of the venue after pleas by many personalities.
