Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has granted the state-owned Yakubu Gowon Stadium, in Port Harcourt, the state capital as venue for the campaign rally of the All Progressives Congress APC PC presidential candidate, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu.
Rivers State Coordinator of Bola Ahmed Bola Tinubu Campaign Organization and member of the presidential campaign council, APC PCC, in Rivers State, Chief Tony Okocha who disclosed this on Wednesday said the rally would hold on February 15, 2023.
Okocha revealed that Wike approved the use of the Stadium without collecting the required fees of N5m from the party, adding that all arrangements had be been concluded to ensure a hitch free campaign rally for the APC presidential candidate.
21st CENTURY CHRONICLE reports that Wike gave the approval on condition, as Okocha revealed that the APChas to issue a written quarantee of the safety and security of the facilities at the venue due to the violence recorded in recent campaign rallies by the governorship standard bearer of the party in the state. he said.
The APC campaign coordinator said 11 sub-committees has been set up to coordinate and ensure the successful hosting of the rally in the State.
He said that many attempts were made by those he described as anti Tinubu forces in the party to scuttle the campaign rally, adding that the group was smarter enough to nip their plot in the bud.
The former Chief of staff said the campaign committee in the State has done its home work to ensure that the presidential candidate of APC wins the election in the State.
He said the Tinubu campaign organization in the State is not in support of the call by a section of APC members in the State for the declaration of State of emergency in the State and called on politicians to embrace peace and ensure that politics is played without violence.
“Bola Tinubu Campaign council, Rivers State does not support the call for state of emergency in Rivers State. You cannot be campaigning to be voted as a governor and at the same time call for a state of emergency. That is undemocratic.
“We are against political violence in whatever form. Whoever is attacking who should cease fire. People must be allowed to campaign in even the remotest part of the state without any threat or intimidation”, he said.