The Rivers State government has withdrawn its earlier verbal approval for the use of the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium in hosting of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) presidential campaign rally in Port Harcourt.
The government disclosed the withdrawal through a letter dated January 31, 2023, addressed to the Director General of PDP’s Presidential Campaign Council and Sokoto State governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal.
The Commissioner for Sports, Mr. Christopher Green, who signed the letter on behalf of the government, said the decision was taken following an alleged plan by the PDP to share the approved venue with the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Green noted that the government was not ready to allow any for of damage on the State facility.
The letter read: “Credible intelligence available to the Government of Rivers State and recent developments now show that your Presidential Campaign Organization is working in collaboration and in-cohorts with a faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State led by Tonye Patrick Cole and that it is the intention of your Presidential Campaign Organization to accommodate and share the approved facility for your campaign with the said faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) government.
“Records show that the activities of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State have always been marred by violence due largely to irreconcilable internal conflicts within the party including shootings and killings in the course of protests arising from the nomination process of delegates for primaries and detonation of explosives in the course of campaigns.
“The Rivers State Government is unable to risk damage to or destruction of the very valuable and priced asset, the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium which your use of the same in collaboration with your Tonye Patrick Cole of APC faction will definitely expose it to.
“In the circumstance, the Rivers State Government has come to the inevitable decision to withdraw the approval earlier given to you for the use of the stadium and the said approval is hereby withdrawn.”
