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Rotimi Amaechi, governor of Rivers
state and chairman of Buhari campaign organization addressing APC supporters in
Port Harcourt on January 6, 2015
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Less than 12 hours after suspected thugs attacked the venue of a rally by the All
Progressives Congress (APC) in Okrika, Rivers State, heavily armed soldiers
have taken over the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium in Port Harcourt.
PREMIUM TIMES reports the
state Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, had three days earlier denied the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) the right to use the facility for President Goodluck
Jonathan’s planned presidential campaign rally on Thursday.
Mr.
Amaechi is quoted to have said the PDP cannot use the facility because of
ongoing construction work.
But
the ruling party had threatened to forcefully use the stadium because the
Rivers government had used it twice in the past one month.
Some
residents of Igwuruta, where the stadium is located, disclosed the soldiers stormed the facility and sealed it off before dawn on Saturday.
“We
woke up this morning to find that heavily armed soldiers have taken over the
new stadium and blocked all the routes to the facility,” a witness said.
When
our correspondent visited the stadium, the soldiers were seen blocking the main
entrances to the facility with Toyota Hilux vans.
While
our reporter was monitoring the situation at the facility, a convoy suspected
to belong to one of the governorship candidates in the state arrived and was
allowed into the stadium.
Meanwhile,
the state Police Command has confirmed the attack on the venue of the APC rally
in Okirika.
The
state Commissioner of Police, Dan Bature, in a statement made available to
journalists, stated that unidentified hoodlums detonated an explosive device
suspected to be dynamite at the venue of the Okirika rally.
“The
podium and public address system were damaged. There was no loss of life. Area
is now under police control while Police Bomb Disposal unit has commenced
discreet investigation,” said Mr. Bature.
“The
incident has heightened tensions and from our assessment has the capability of
degenerating to a situation where the protection of life and property will be
threatened. Consequently, the command has advised All Progressives Congress
(APC) to reschedule the rally to another date.”
While
the command is determined to discharge its constitutional mandate of protection
of life and property, he warned political parties to adhere strictly to the
code of conduct guiding political activities in the state.
He
also advised politicians to respect and law and order and eschew violence in
all its ramifications before, during and after 2015 general elections.
“The Command also is
determined to enforce law and order, provide adequate security for all
political parties and ensure that the full wrath of law is visited on any
person(s) who dare and wish to test our capability, please,” the commissioner
said.
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