·Digs up mud against Sekibo, his former ally
·Says Justice Eso panel indicted Sekibo as sponsor of vicious gangs
By Ignatius Chukwu
Rivers State is becoming very hot everyday as countdown to the 2023 elections. Violence has taken the centre stage with almost all the major political parties except the one backed by Gov Nyesom Wike recording attacks.
Now, Gov Nyesom Wike, whose faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been severally accused of stopping other parties from campaigning at all or in peace, has now been accused by his former ally of attempted assassination.
Former minister of transportation, Dr Abiye Sekibo, said he escaped assassination Friday night. Dr Sekibo is leader of the faction of the PDP now loyal to the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
Gov Wike has however denied the allegation, saying it is untrue the claim by the Director-General of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council in the State that he sponsored assassination attempt on him.
The governor emphatically declared that he had never and would not indulge in any act of sponsoring assassins against anybody.
Wike spoke at the Rivers East Senatorial District rally of the PDP that held at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium in Port Harcourt on Saturday.
The governor stated: “Let me use the opportunity to debunk an allegation that some persons may have made that one Dr Abiye Sekibo said that I sponsored assassination; attempted assassination on his life.
“I want to state categorically clear, all of us from Rivers State know who is who. We know who has killed so many people in this State.”
Wike recalled aspect of the report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) set up by the Chibuike Amaechi’s administration and was headed by late Justice Kayode Eso that linked Dr Sekibo with violent groups.
He quoted parts of the report that he said indicted Sekibo and allegedly linked the Okrika-born leader in a judicial panel report as head of a group that he said killed so many people in Rivers State.
Gov Wike insisted that it is also not true the allegation of burning down of the venue that has been approved by his administration for the PDP Presidential Campaign Council to hold its presidential campaign rally.
Wike asked: “So, we granted approval for the candidate (presidential) of the party to hold their rally at Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium. I do know that if you go there today, no stadium has been burnt.
“And so, it is impossible for anybody to say somebody’s life was attempted and then the place was burnt down. It is not correct.”
Wike persisted: “And if there is anything like that, the person should report the matter to the police and all those found culpable will face the wrath of the law.
“This is not the first time. If you know you don’t have capacity to mobilise support which you have promised some people say so. Do not carry propaganda against innocent people.”
Addressing the crowd, Wike said the senatorial campaign rally was furtherance to the ongoing efforts in mobilising party members and Rivers voters to keep faith with PDP.
“We decided to see that all the senatorial district hold themselves together as what we may call our rally. All I want to appeal to all of us is for all of us to continue to remain steadfast, and continue to mobilise our people as regards the forth coming election on February 25th and March 11th 2023. We all are aware at where we are heading to by the grace of God.”
The APC, Accord Party, SDP, and the Atiku faction of the PDP have all cried out over allegations of attack at their rallies.
Wike had twice said those being attacked were those violating Order 21 and 22 setting very difficult conditions for holding any political rally in the state.
