APC Cancels Campaign Rally At First lady’s Hometown Over Attack, Bombing Of Venue

Rivers APC Cancels Campaign Rally At First

lady’s Hometown Over Attack, Bombing Of

Venue

The All Progressives Congress, APC, in Rivers

State says It has cancelled its governorship

campaign rally scheduled for Okrika on Saturday

following violent attack and bombing of the

venue.

Okrika is the birthplace of Mrs. Patience

Jonathan, wife of President Goodluck Jonathan

even as APC accused PDP supporters of being

responsible for the attack.

Our correspondent reports that Dr. Dakuku Adol

Peterside, the APC governorship candidate, was

expected to have unveiled his Roadmap to

Prosperity , a revolutionary economic blue-print for

the massive development of Rivers State, to the

Okrika electorate as well as highlight the choice

space the area holds in the plan.

In a statement today signed by Mrs. Ibim

Semenitari, Director of Communications, Greater

Together Campaign Organisation, which is the

campaign team for Peterside’s governorship, the

cancellation was necessitated by the massive

Friday overnight and early Saturday gun violence

unleashed on members and supporters of APC in

Okrika by suspected thugs hired and

commissioned by the opposition Peoples

Democratic Party, PDP. Heavily armed thugs had

in the wee hours of the morning of Saturday 24,

2015 at about 3:45am, besieged the National

School Field, Okrika, venue of the APC

governorship rally and opened fire. Workers

setting up equipment and canopies were forced to

flee as bullets poured down like rainfall. By Divine

intervention, however, nobody died in the attack.

The injured were rushed to different hospitals in

Port Harcourt.

According to the Greater Together Campaign

Organisation’s statement, the shift came off

intense deliberations between Dr. Peterside and

leadership of the Campaign Organisation after a

visit to Okrika by Hon. Victor Giadom, the

Director-General, Hon. Emma Chindah and Mrs.

Semenitari, both Directors in the Organisation.

“The decision to call-off the Okrika rally, painful

as it was, was taken in the best interest of Okrika

people and APC supporters who were nonetheless

ready to attend the rally. Neither Dr. Peterside nor

APC is willing to jeopardise the lives of Okrika

people. Kirikise land deserves honour. So, the

raging violence and army of occupation PDP has

imposed on her is condemnable. Considering that

no ambition was worth the blood of any Okrika

native, resident or indeed, an APC member, we

decided to call-off today’s campaign in Okrika

though our members were willing to storm the

area. As regrettable and as painful as it was, we

are convinced that the people of Okrika are taking

notice of those who do not place any value on

their lives. PDP has become blood- hounds,

vampires and scarecrows that survive on human

blood. We would not be forced to join such an

evil cult.

The statement continued, “The decision to shift

the Okrika campaign was taken after an intense

review of the security situation on ground in

Okrika. As a man of peace, Dr. Peterside directed

that the campaign be postponed to enable the

injured to be given primary attention. The

candidate decided to visit those injured receiving

treatment at various hospitals in Port Harcourt.

He wished them quickest recovery, assuring them

of the best medical care.

“We condemn PDP for this visit of violence on

Okrika people. We ask, Is that the electioneering

program PDP has for the area? Must PDP shed

blood of men and women for the sake of a vote?

Why would Okrika land and people not be allowed

by the PDP to enjoy peace and development?

This act is evil, satanic and shameful. Okrika

people should stand up against this violent-

breather called PDP. Kirikise sons and daughters

need not be told to turn their back on this

vampire on February 14 and 28. If PDP had made

life this miserable, burdensome and over-bearing

on Okrika people, what would they not do if for

any reason, they are voted into office?

“We sympathise with our supporters who suffered

various bullet and machete injuries in the hands

of PDP gunmen. Our prayers flow before the

Throne of grace for their quickest recovery. We

would equally commend APC supporters,

especially the youths, who yielded to the counsel

of the candidate and party elders not to take

retaliatory measures. But, our fear is that, we

might not be too successful again in restraining

the wounded and hunted from self-defence and

maybe, retaliatory attack on anything PDP.

“Dr. Peterside remains committed to the spirit

and letter of the non-violent accord brokered only

four days ago by the United States Ambassador

to Nigeria, His Excellency Ambassador James F.

Entwistle. Knowing PDP’s antecedent in Rivers

State and its penchant to violent acts, we had

been sceptical it would find a means to bring

down that diplomatic non-violent accord signed

by 3 governorship candidates in Rivers State.

“Not only should the US hold PDP responsible for

the dishonour it has brought on its diplomacy, but

should use its Mission in Nigeria to advice Mrs.

Patience Jonathan, wife of Nigeria’s President, to

let Rivers State and Okrika electorate to choose

their leaders freely at the next national elections

in February.