Rivers: Gunshots as SDP governorship candidate opens campaign office

By Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt

Senator Magnus Abe, the governorship candidate of Social Democratic Party, SDP, governorship candidate and his supporters defied sporadic gunshots to inaugurate their campaign office in Nonwa, the headquarters of Tai local government area Rivers State on Monday.

A video posted by one of the supporters of the SDP candidate showed Abe and his convoy being shot at from the bushes along the road as they were going to Nonwa.

Abe has few hours before the opening of the party office in a post on his Facebook page showed the destruction of the stage and other facilities set up for the ceremony.
He however vowed that the commissioning of the campaign office will go on in spite of the destruction of the facilities.

“Ahead of the commissioning of Our Campaign Office today in Nonwa, Tai Local Government Area, Rivers State, the building and already set stage was attacked and destroyed in the early hours of this morning. Properties are evidenced in the pictures attached below, were destroyed.

“Regardless of these deliberate and illicit display of lawlessness, WE SHALL GO AHEAD TO COMMISSION OUR OFFICE TODAY IN NONWA, TAI.

“We assure Rivers People that we will continue to go about our campaigns peacefully in total compliance with the relevant laws of our great country,”.

Speaking after defying the gunshots to inaugurate the office, Abe condemned the destruction of canopies, chairs, sound equipment and vandalization of the party office by people suspected to be thugs.

He said people should be allowed free space to canvass for votes, while the people should be allowed to choose whoever they want to be their Governor.

He acknowledged that he received a report that the Tai local government Council had written and insisted that SDP Campaign office cannot be open in Nonwa, citing Executive orders 21 and 22.

Abe, however, said the lawyers of the party responded that under the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the party has a right to open an office and talk to the people of the community.

He said the Police command approved the ceremony on the strength of the argument from his lawyers.

Abe therefore expressed shock that despite the assurances he got from the Rivers Commissioner of Police, Effiong Okon, that adequate security had been provided for the inauguration of the party office, hoodlums still destroyed the facilities and guns boomed to stop them from gaining access to the venue.

According to Abe: “When I win, I won’t buy guns for the youths of Rivers State. I will send them to school because those who buy the guns, their children are schooling overseas. The past administration( Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi) had scholarship scheme, why won’t I continue with it as Governor?”