The wife of Nigeria’s President, Dame Patience Jonathan, has commiserated with the state government, the bereaved families and the survivors of the stampede that occurred at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential rally in Port Harcourt.

Dame Jonathan, who travelled to the villages of the bereaved families, before arriving Government House, Port Harcourt, where she paid a condolence visit on Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, also addressed survivors of the stampede incident.

The First Lady  said she was touched by the incident that claimed 11 lives out of which 10 were women, whom she said, believed in the change initiative, aimed at improving the lot of women in Nigeria.

She described the large turn out of women at the rally as a demonstration of the  love they had for President Jonathan and Governor Amaechi, noting that the victims of the stampede had paid  the price for democracy in Nigeria.

Dame Jonathan, who also delivered a letter of condolence to Governor Amaechi, prayed for quick recovery of the survivors, and urged them not to be deterred by the incident, but to continue to support the PDP, Mr President and Rivers State Governor whom she said they came to identify with.

She prayed God to give Governor Amaechi the strength to bear the loss, stressing that the governor had come to deliver Rivers people, and God would help him to deliver the state from the shackles of poverty and under-development.

Dame Jonathan, had earlier visited the families of Late Mrs Ucheoma Wokama in Erema, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area, Late Mrs Caroline Enyindia, Ubima, in Ikwerre LGA, Late Mr Felix Nwiaga, Leader of Tai Legislative Assembly at Botem Tai, Mrs Fanny Micah, at Niger Street in Port Harcourt, where she sympathised with the families they left behind.

She assured the families that the state and the Federal Government would see how to support the bereaved families while regretting that those that died left at the time when they were mostly needed to translate the principle of one man, one vote in the election process in the country.

The First Lady noted that their death would never be in vain because those left behind at home and in the PDP family, would continue to celebrate them as worthy comrades.

Responding, Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi thanked the First Lady for the visit and the message that she has brought to the bereaved families and to the state.

Governor Amaechi promised that the state government would take care of the medical bills of the survivors and advised them to put their trust in God, emphasising that the victims of the unfortunate incident were strong supporters of the party.

He expressed the hope that this type of incident would  never happen again and implored the security agents to learn how to control crowd during such events.