PDP Defies Police in Calabar, Flags-off By-election Campaign

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Cross River State has defied the police in Calabar, the state capital as it flagged-off campaign for the by-elections to fill the vacant seats in the Ogoja/Yala Federal constituency and the Akpabuyo State Constituency. This was just as Rivers State Governor, Nyesome Wike, pledged his full support for the party in order to help it win the by-elections fixed for February 26. Wike was a special guest of honour at the party’s rally yesterday.

Impressed by the huge crowd that attended the rally in the state capital and the fact that they defied an attempt by the Police to stop the rally, Wike declared that he was convinced that the PDP was still firmly rooted in the state. “Be rest assured that I will give the PDP in the state my full support to ensure you win in the by-election and in 2023 elections. Don’t allow APC intimidate you.”

He said it was unfortunate and shameful for anyone to try to intimidate members of PDP by using security operatives to stop a rally for ordinary federal and state constituency by-elections. Wike added that any government that had done well would not use such a gimmick in its bid to stop a rally unless they were not confident or had not done well for the people. He alleged that the ruling APC was afraid of signing the electoral bill into law because they were afraid of transmission of results and the level of transparency the act would guarantee.

His words: “Why on earth will they try stop an ordinary rally if they have done well, this is just by- elections for federal and state constituency, what if it was the governorship ,what would they have done ? If they had succeeded in stopping us from holding the rally, that would have been the end of the party in Cross River, but we are very resilient people.

“2023 is not 2019, PDP means business ,we are taking over Cross River State , go out and get your PVCs, make sure you vote and also make sure you guide and protect your vote, it is obvious that you are ready to take over Cross River once again. Do not be afraid, they tried it in Rivers State , but we resisted them , it is just a form of intimidation, I thought the only way to test the people is to allow them to hold their rally whether they would come or not, but with the crowd here ,it shows that things are not well with them (APC).

“With the by- elections, they will know and understand that it is no longer business as usual, indeed we will leave no stone unturned , we must defeat APC, forget about presidential ambition we must win this first ,” he said. Speaking earlier the Chairman of PDP in Cross River, Venatius Ikem Esq, expressed satisfaction over the patience by party stalwarts adding that they tried to stop them but it did not work.

“They tried to stop us but they could not, we have mobilised, we are ready for the elections, nobody can stop us ,nobody can intimidate us,” he said. The rally was attended by all the three senators in the state who are all of the PDP, former Governor Liyel Imoke, members of the House of Representatives from the PDP and numerous party leaders.