The Atiku/Okowa Campaign Council in Rivers state has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently intervention in what it described as the repeated violent attacks on its leaders and members in the state
Director of the campaign committee, Abiye Sekibo, in a statement said the appeal became necessary following the refusal of the state police commissioner to act
The statement cited the December 9 attack on the residence of the chairman of the Rivers State PDP Presidential Campaign Council, Senator Lee Maeba
“On December 9th, 2022, we drew the attention of the nation to the dastardly attack on the residence of the Chairman, Rivers State PDP Presidential Campaign Council, the Distinguished Senator Lee Maeba, by political thugs believed to be working under the directives of the Obio/ Akpor Local Government Council Chairman.
“Unfortunately the Commissioner of Police in Rivers State dismissed the attack as having been masterminded by the Distinguished Senator on himself”.
The Atiku campaign director also referenced Wednesday’s violent attack on a youth leader of the Atiku Presidential Campaign team, Rhino Owhorkire and his cousin in the Ikwerre local government area of the state, which he says was an assassination attempt.
“On December 14th, 2022 at about 9:00 PM; the members of the Rivers State PDP Presidential Council received reports of an armed attack on Mr Rhino Owhorkire, a youth leader of the Atiku Presidential Campaign team in Rivers State and his cousin, in Ikwerre Local Government Area.
“They were both shots while returning from a PDP Presidential Campaign event. They both sustained life-threatening injuries, and are currently on admission to an Intensive Care Unit.
Mr Rhino suffered similar attacks a few weeks back when he was physically assaulted and asked to renounce his support for the PDP Presidential Candidate, His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar (Warizin Adamawa); on the orders of the Ikwerre Local Government Council Chairman”
The statement alleges that the attacks are sponsored, and if nothing urgent is done, could lead to chaos in the state.
“These attacks, threats to life, and destruction of properties of persons supporting Atiku Abubakar in Rivers State, by thugs sponsored by certain individuals; seeking to instil fear in law-abiding citizens of Rivers State is increasingly becoming unbearable and requires the urgent and unrelenting professional intervention of the Police and all other security agencies.
“In Rivers State today, it is becoming evident that the offices of Local Government Council Chairman has been weaponized by the Governor and used to recruit thugs and unleash mayhem on the supporters of His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar (Wazirin Adamawa), as witnessed in Okrika, In Rivers State today, it is becoming evident that the offices of Local Government Council Chairman has been weaponized by the Governor and used to recruit thugs and unleash mayhem on the supporters of His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar (Wazirin Adamawa), as witnessed in Okrika, Obio/Akpor, and Ikwerre Local Government Areas of the State”
The Atiku campaign director wants President Muhammadu Buhari to direct the Inspector-General of Police, the Director-General of the Department of State Services and all other security agencies of government to move in to forestall Rivers state turning into a battlefield before, during and after the 2023 General Elections, describing it as unwanted and unwarranted
