By Charles Igbo
Rivers State Government has sealed the Presidential Campaign Office of Atiku Abubakar, the Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in the February 25, 2023 General elections.
The Office, located at the Government Reserved Area, Porthacourt, was sealed by Government officials in the early hours of Friday, 23rd December, 2022.
To seal the office, the Government cited Executive Order 22, signed by the Governor, Nyesom Wike. which prohibits Political Parties from siting their offices at residential areas without Government permission.
However, PDP Presidential Campaign Council in Rivers State said it had, for weeks, applied to the Government for permission, but received no response till date.
It said the Government’s action, “rubs off on its fundamental rights to free expression of interest.”
It added that: “This egregious move by the Rivers State Government, seen in the prism of politics, tends to militarise our democracy, and renders our dear State politically recessive when juxtaposed with other States in the Country.”
For the records, Rivers State is a PDP State. But Governor Wike has been at loggerheads with the Party Leadership, represented by the National Chairman, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, and the Presidential candidate, Atiku.
Trouble started when Atiku defeated Wike at the Presidential Primary to clinch the Presidential ticket, and also by-passed him and picked Delta State Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, as his running mate.
Since then, Wike has remained inconsolable. He is the leader of four other PDP Governors – Samuel Ortom, Benue, Okezie Ikpeazu, Abia, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Enugu, Seye Makinde, Oyo – and a few other Stakeholders, who are insisting that Ayu steps down as National Chairman of the Party.
They argue that it is unfair for both the Chairman and the Candidate to come from the same area – North. They want Ayu to step down for a Southerner, preferably, from the South-west. However the question to Wike from not a few people is: if he would asked Ayu to step down if he, Wike, had been chosen as Atiku’s running mate.
For months, Wike and his group, formerly known as G-5, but now, Integrity Group, have refused to participate in all PDP activities, including the Presidential Campaign. They have also made it clear, almost, that they would neither vote for Atiku, nor encourage their subjects to do so.
For Wike, any supporter of Atiku is an enemy. Not a few people see the sealing of Atiku’s Presidential Office in Port Harcourt as an extension of the fight against Atiku’s Presidential bid by Wike.
A few days ago, Wike said he would tell Nigerians the Presidential candidate of his choice and direct his people what to do. For good measure, he added: “I will campaign for him nationwide, and nothing will happen.”
