18th January, 2023
By Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
The Rivers chapter of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has accused the All Progressive Congress, APC of importing crowd for its rally its held at Okomoko Tipper park in Etche local government area to the kick-off of the State-wide of its gubernatorial candidate Arc. Tonye Patrick Cole, and his deputy, Dr. Innocent Barikor.
While APC is celebrating the huge attendance at the rally, the Chairman of Etche Local Government Area, Obinna Anyanwu, has ordered the closure of the Tipper Park.
The announcement of the closure of the Park was aired on the 6pm news bulletin of Rhythm 93.7 FM in Port Harcourt on Tuesday few hours after the APC campaign rally.
Reacting to the development, Sogbeye Eli, Spokesman APC 2023 Campaign Council said that the Chairman of Etche Council and the state PDP have been clearly intimidated and confounded by the overwhelming turnout of APC faithful at the campaign ground, “despite the blocking of traditional campaign venues across the State via the draconian Executive Orders 21 and 22 issued by Governor Nyesom Wike”.
APC said further that the crowd of supporters at the campaign venue could have forced the hands of the Council Chairman, (who ironically is the younger brother to the APC State House of Assembly candidate for Etche Constituency 2, Hon Charles Anyanwu), to seal the Park.
The party pointed out that PDP had mocked APC over its decision to host the governorship campaign Rally at the Tipper Park yesterday.
Speaking at the rally, Charles Anyanwu,(the elder brother of Etche Council Chairman) had assured the party and Etche people of victory for the All Progressives Congress at the February 25 and March 2023 general elections: “I have never lost elections in my life. We have always worked to deliver them and we will win them. Tonye Cole, our governorship candidate should go home and sleep”.
Anyanwu represented Etche Constituency 2 when Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, former Minister of Transportation was the Speaker of the Rivers House of Assembly for eight years.
The APC 2023 gubernatorial campaign train is expected to berth in Ikwerre Local Government Area of the state on Thursday.
However, PDP in swift reaction to the campaign rally at Etche alleged that APC imported fake members from neighboring states.
PDP said the crowd at the rally organised at “a small tipper park by APC” were hired from the neighbouring states.
The Director of Publicity and Communications for PDP Campaign Council, Ogbonna Nwuke added that the governorship candidate of APC for Rivers has proved that he has nothing to offer to the people of the state.
“Those people who gathered at Chokocho on Tuesday were neither Etche indigenes nor Rivers people. They were assembled from neighboring states, paid to wear APC colours and brought to Etche to masquerade like Etche people.
“The Etche people who believe in the development of their area, in the promise of a new era that they are part of, have since turned their backs on the APC.
“They are firmly with the PDP which is busy delivering projects and fulfilling promises made to Rivers people.
“Hirelings were brought from other states that were brought to Etcheland to impersonate Etche people.
“We need to stress an important point. Deceit is part of the DNA of the APC. So, telling frivolous stories that are never actualized have become a critical aspect of the DNA that runs in their genes.
PDP said APC had promised Rivers a deep Seaport, an Industrial railway park, a University of Transportation and a Railway link to Maiduguri that were never delivered.
“Politics is not about misleading people and giving them false hope. It is about good promises and the act of delivering services that people can see.
“PDP advised Tonye Cole to wake up to reality that 8 stares him in the face. He waited for an announcement that did not materialize in 2019. Those who do not learn from history; who wish away valuable lessons that are learnt from history; fall by the roadside again and again.
“Even when Cole finds himself on the ballot, Rivers people cannot entrust their future into the hands of people whose only interest is to buy State assets worth billions of naira in order to satisfy selfish personal interests”.