Abe, PDP bicker over political violence in Rivers

The governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party SDP, in Rivers State, Senator Magnus Abe and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are trading blames over political violence in the state ahead of the 2023 elections.

Abe alleged that the state chairman of PDP, Desmond Akawor, was behind the attack on him and his team on Monday at Oyigbo Local Government Area of the state.

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Speaking at a media briefing on Monday in Port Harcourt, Abe said he could no longer keep quiet. The country must become aware of what is going on in Rivers State.

“SDP members in Oyigbo Local Government Area this morning were to hold a stakeholders meeting, not a rally. The meeting was to hold in a hall in Ayama. This hall was built, furnished and donated to the community by me when I was in the Senate as one of my constituency projects.

“When they heard we were to hold a meeting early this morning, thugs led by the Personal Assistant to State PDP Chairman, Amb. Desmond Akawor broke into the place, scattered everything and 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,” Abe narrated.

“When we got to Egberu, the border into Oyigbo, the road was blocked by thugs armed with guns, machetes, knives and all kinds of dangerous weapons. They said this is the home of Desmond Akawor and that we could not enter Oyigbo,” he said.

Responding to the allegation by Abe, the PDP state chairman, Ambassador Desmond Akawo, said thuggery was never part of his life. 

“For me, Abe has enough problems with APC and his people, he should not ascribe it to me. He is my friend, we met and hugged each other at a function recently.”