Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt
Governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Rivers State, Senator Magnus Abe, has accused supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of allegedly attacking him and his party’s stakeholders while on their way for a peaceful meeting in Oyigbo Local Government Area of the state.
According to the former representative of the Rivers South-east Senatorial District, that a Personal Assistant to Mr. Desmond Akawor, the state PDP chairman allegedly led the thugs that attacked him and party members in Oyigbo.
Speaking with journalists yesterday in Port Harcourt, Abe said he and his members, including candidates of the party, narrowly escaped being lynched in the attack..
He wondered why such attack should happen in the PDP chairman’s community when he has always ensured the safety of all politicians that visited his area in Gokana LGA.
Abe narrated his ordeal, saying: “The SDP in Oyigbo Local Governmentnt Area this morning were to hold a stakeholders meeting, not a rally. I indicated my intention to attend the meeting in order to encourage our supporters in Oyigbo and also pay a condolence visit to one of the kings and then see the chiefs of Oyigbo as well as visit one or two prominent members of SDP in the area.
“The meeting was to hold in a hall in Ayama. This hall was built, furnished and donated to the community when I was in the Senate as one of my constituency projects.
“When they heard we were to hold a meeting, early this morning (Monday), thugs led by the Personal Assistant to State PDP Chairman, Desmond Akawor broke into the place, scattered everything locked up the place, and said we could not hold a meeting there even though approval for the facility had been given by the chief and elders of the community.
When that information was given to me, I duly informed the police and asked them to withdraw because our principle had been non-confrontation, no violence. And the meeting was taken to the private compound of one of our supporters.
“When we got to Egberu, the border into Oyigbo, the road was blocked by thugs armed with guns, matchetes, knives and all kinds of dangerous weapons. That this is the home of Desmond Akawor and that we could not enter Oyigbo. They were chanting that there can be no SDP in Oyigbo local government. And I was like did we mistakenly stray into another country or is this part of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, because this was happening in broad daylight.”
The SDP gubernatorial candidate continued that: “The security operatives attached to me tried to intervene and the boys were cocking gun and saying that everybody will die here and all that. And against security advice, I came out from my vehicle and attempted to talk to them. I said listen, Desmond Children are not here, but you are here.
“We are coming here to share our message of hope progress and prosperity with you. When we finish talking, if you like our message, you follow us, if you don’t like us, follow those that you value that you trust.”
He said the meeting could not hold again seeing the level of violence the PDP supporters were ready to display in the area, adding that to save lives and people from serious injuries, they left the area.
But Abe has insisted that no amount of threat or attack will deter him from campaigning in any area of the state, adding that the people will decide who will govern them in 2023 and not imposition of candidate.
