Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) says the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has commenced fresh ploy to disturb the peace of the state as it accused the APC of destroying flags of Nigeria and the party in Port Harcourt.
Newly elected Chairman of the party, Chief Davies Ibiamu Ikanya told newsmen yesterday at the party’s secretariat in Port Harcourt that the PDP had through a lawyer to former Obio/Akpor Chairman, Timothy Nsirim, claimed that the party had gone to damage the national flag and that of the party at Rumuigbo junction.
Bent on causing public disorder, Ikanya said the lawyer, one Mr. Emma Uche, had petitioned the police and the State Security Service (SSS) over the matter.
“You very well know that since the exit of Mbu Joseph Mbu as the commissioner of police in this state, Rivers State has known peace. All our activities have been conducted in law abiding manner, and apart from few incidents of kidnapping and robbery here and there, we have not had any political issue since Mbu left. So, we want to state categorically and unequivocally that no member of APC did anything to destroy flags of any party, let alone Nigeria’s,” Ikanya said.
The Rivers APC chief while wondering why PDP should concoct such accusation, noted that the party respects the national flag and even has part of its flag in Nigerian colours, adding that the party is on a rescue mission to salvage the country from poor leadership.
“Therefore, we cannot be destroying Nigerian flag. I will like to let the public and the entire Nigerian populace to know that this is another frivolous allegation by the same PDP aimed at causing trouble”, he said.
He recalled that the PDP had earlier this year accused the party of sponsoring the abduction of its members, but thanks to God for recent police report which exonerated them, as the culprits have been apprehended.
Ikanya accused the PDP of a smear campaign on the governor of the state, whom he described as a law abiding and focused leader, while assuring that the governor and the APC will not be distracted from delivering good governance to the state.
Calling on the people to disregard the ploy, Ikanya warned the PDP that, “unless it stops this act, we will be forced to take action against them”.
He revealed that the party has been reliably informed that the PDP wants to use the excuse of the flag damage to destroy billboards with APC logos, and called on the Nigeria Police and other security agencies to be on the alert.
The APC chairman urged the opposition to concentrate on winning the next elections and putting its house in order, noting that majority of Rivers people have rejected the PDP.
“Let us go for clean and clear elections because at any point in time, the will of God will be done” adding that, “we will as a party, continue to preach peace, and we will not allow anybody to rig us.”’
Similarly, Ikanya has described the recent allegation against the Chief of Staff, Government House, Sir Tony Okocha by Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) of threat to life of its spokesperson as a scheme by the opposition to distract government.
He said, “yesterday, somebody accused the Chief of Staff of threatening his life just to distract government attention…The people should disregard such ploy, the governor or all the people in APC are law abiding citizens. We are disciplined people”.

Delegates voting at the APC Rivers Congress in Port Harcourt, last Saturday