Suspected thugs early this morning invaded the venue of the scheduled rally of APC governorship candidate, Dakuku Peterside in Okrika, Rivers State and bombed the podium erected for the rally. Peterside was billed to flag off his guber campaign in Okrika, the home town of Dame Patience Jonathan today.
PDP had held their guber rally in the same venue on thursday and was attended by Mrs Jonathan.
Eye witness said the armed thugs invaded the rally ground at about 3.45am, Saturday, and shot sporadically into the air while an improvised device suspected to be dynamite was used to blown off the campaign podium. APC members who were arranging the venue for the rally reportedly took to their heels.
Rivers State commissioner of police, Dan Bature who confirmed the story to journalist in Port Harcourt today said the APC rally arena was attacked with an explosive device suspected to be dynamite by unidentified assailants. He said podium and public address system were damaged. He also confirmed that no life was lost.
He said “the incident has heightened tension and from our assessment has the capability of degenerating to a situation where the protection of life and property will be threatened. Consequently, the command has advised APC to reschedule the rally to another date. While the command is determined to discharge its constitutional mandate of protection of life and property, all political parties are hereby warned to adhere strictly to the code of conduct guiding political activities in the State, respect of law and order and eschew violence in all ramifications before, during and after election”.
He said the command is determined to enforce law and order, provide adequate security for all political parties and ensure that the full wrath of law is visited on any person that dare to test their capacity.
The APC chairman of Okrika, Christian Afisamaka who also confirmed the story said “on Saturday 24, 2015 at about 3.45am some armed youths started shooting at the venue of the APC governorship rally, National school field Okrika. Those setting up the sound system and the podium were forced to flee for their lives. At about 4am they started shooting explosives into the arena and destroyed the podium, sound equipment and some canopies.
The boys came in a white hiace bus and allegedly came in from Igbiri a community that shares borders with Mrs. Jonathan’s Oba Ama community”.
The boys came in a white hiace bus and allegedly came in from Igbiri a community that shares borders with Mrs. Jonathan’s Oba Ama community”.
