The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, will not hold its presidential campaign in Rivers State for the first time since 1999.
In a statement issued through the Rivers PDP Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), Atiku canceled the rally, citing insecurity, and stated that the rally scheduled for this week would no longer take place.
The statement by Sen. Lee Maeba, PDP PCC Chairman in Rivers, noted that “the expected victory of Atiku Abubakar does not worth the blood of any Rivers man or woman.”
Maeba informed the team that the decision to call off the demonstration was made because he does not want any blood to be shed in the state of Rivers.
Recall that Dr. Abiye Sekibo, the chairman of the Rivers PDP presidential campaign committee, was attacked last week in Port Harcourt.
Wike first refused to allow the campaign to use the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, but he later changed his mind, claiming that certain people had been dispatched to speak with him.
Since the Rivers governor’s loss of the presidential nomination to the former Vice President, Wike and Atiku have been at odds.
He and his friends, known as the Integrity Group, withdrew from the race and demanded that Senator Iyioricha Ayu quit from his position as the party’s National Chairman before they began to support Atiku. However, the party called their bluff.
Governors Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), and Samuel Ortom make up the G-5, which is led by Wike (Benue).