Wike, APC trade blame over explosion at Port Harcourt rally

• Published date: 21 January 2023
• Publication title: Nigeria - The Nation

Averbal ensued between Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, and the state's chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday, following an explosion that rocked the latter's campaign rally in Port Harcourt, the state capital, on Thursday.

No fewer than five persons had sustained various degrees of injuries from the explosion suspected to be dynamites and had to be rushed to the hospital for treatment.

At a press briefing organised by the party and its governorship campaign council yesterday, the council's spokesman, Sogbeye Eli, accompanied by the state chairman of the party, Chief Emeka Bekee and other campaign officials, the party blamed the PDP-led by Governor Nyesom Wike for its ordeal.

Eli said: 'The Governor's orders 22 and 23, which seek to prohibit other parties from campaigning for the elections, is responsible for the attacks on opposition parties in the state, including the APC.'

He warned that 'an end must be put to these provocative primitive actions or we shall be forced to defend ourselves with every legitimate tool at our disposal.'

In a swift reaction, however, the Director, Directorate of Publicity and Communications for the PDP, Chief Ogbonna Nwuke, denied having anything to do with the explosion at the APC campaign venue, saying that PDP is a peaceful party.

Also reacting to APC's allegation, Governor Wike took a swipe at the APC in the state for blaming the crisis that greeted the campaign of its governorship candidate in Mile one Diobu on the PDP.

The governor said that APC became a victim of the brewing crisis between the two factions in Rumuwoji community because they did not address their demand adequately.

Wike wondered why the APC did not encounter crises with their rallies when they used the Tipper Park in Etche Local Government and the IYM Secretariat in Ikwerre Local Government.

The governor asked them to stop complaining if they were not ready for the forthcoming general election, insisting that the state PDP was ready for the poll.

The state's police command also in a statement released a few hours after the incident and signed by its spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko, a Superintendent of Police (SP), refuted claims of gunshots rocking the rally venue during the event.

Iringe-Koko also denied that the attack had any link to other...