Politics
Rivers PDP Denies Alleged Attack On Atiku Supporters, Others
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State has denied an allegation that it was recruiting thugs from the 23 local government areas of the State, to attack supporters of the party’s presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and members of the opposition political parties.
Spokesman of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council in the State, Dr. Leloonu Nwibubasa, had recently accused the State chapter of the party of recruiting thugs to attack supporters of Atiku and other opposition members in the State.
But, addressing journalists in Port Harcourt on Saturday, spokesman of the Consolidation of the New Rivers Vision Campaign Council, Hon. Ogbonna Nwuke, accused Atiku supporters of resorting to underhand practices in an attempt to stir distrust and unrest in the State.
Nwuke said: “We have invited you as a party to share thoughts with you on a number of developments associated with the unethical behaviour of certain political renegades who are manning the Atiku campaign in Rivers State.
“While Governor Nyesom Wike has been busy, to the glory of God, commissioning and flagging off new projects in parts of the State, Rivers people are being fed with unbridled falsehood.
“We refer specifically to illogical and ill-conceived claims made by the Spokesman of the Presidential Campaign Council in Rivers State.
“He has claimed in chats with the media that there are plans by the Rivers PDP to dress up some persons in branded T-shirts bearing the face of the former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in order to destroy or deface billboards and posters.
“We have similarly learnt through the media of a move by the PDP to recruit 20 political thugs in each of the 23 Local Government Areas of Rivers State, who would be used to intimidate innocent and defenceless citizens.
“We would not have wasted energy in responding to these allegations that are as worthless as the paper on which they are written. The reason is that they are products of poor workmen who are usually in the habit of quarrelling with their tools.
“Despite claims that supporters of the PDP in the State that are loyal supporters of Governor Wike are pulling down or defacing billboards, billboards carrying the faces of candidates of other political parties, including those that are aspiring for the presidency, are standing elegantly along major roads and streets.
“Nobody in the PDP loyal to the leadership of Governor Wike has removed them. The media is at liberty to confirm our assertion. The media is also at liberty to confirm whose posters are being torn by agents of the Atiku campaign organisation.
“Our position is that agents of the presidential candidate have resorted to underhand practices in an attempt to stir distrust and unrest in Rivers State.
“We have stumbled upon a plan by the pro-Atiku group led by a War Canoe Chief, supported by some rogue politicians who believe in divide and rule tactics, to use murderers, assassins and ex-prisoners to inflict bodily harm on innocent and defenceless Rivers people.
“The idea, we have learnt, is to destabilise a peaceful State, create fear and unrest and cause public disaffection through the generation of bare-faced terror and mind-boggling violence.
“More importantly, the idea is to cover up their evil plan to attack the State, stimulate tension and attempt to halt the ongoing and commendable bid by Governor Nyesom Wike to deliver more facilities to the good people of Rivers State in accordance with his electoral promises.
“As part of the plan, they are already running on the theory of the big lie by fabricating all kind of tales, so they can later claim they told us so. In their desperation, they have even claimed that we are assembling thugs.”
The Tide source reports that Prof. Akinoso was elected alongside 38 other executive members of the party at the congress held on Saturday.
Other executive members are Dr Abiola Olaonipekun, who emerged as Secretary, Alhaja Latifah Latifu, Women Leader and Mr A. Adeleke, elected as Youth Leader.
It was learnt that the congress, which took place at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Oke Ado in Ibadan, was attended by representatives of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Police, other security agencies and prominent members of the party.
The election was supervised by electoral committee members, among whom were Prince Diran Odeyemi, who served as Chairman, Hon. Awoniyi Tolulope, Mr Babatunde Gbadamosi, Queen Stepheine Oyechere, Alhaji Yusuf Abidakun, Mr Olumide Aguda and Dr Phillips Adeniyi, who served as Secretary.
Prof. Akinoso, in his inaugural address, urged members of the party to set aside intra-party differences.
He advised them to concentrate their resources on the promotion of the party, saying, “The primary responsibilities of party executive members are to coordinate party activities, ensure harmony among members, and ensure party victory during general elections.
“Our immediate assignments are to key into INEC released 2027 general election time-tables. As directed by the National Caretaker Committee of PDP, our party e-membership registration starts next week. We must be fully involved and do a membership drive.
“A political party is only relevant and benefits its members if it wins the election. This is our goal. We should set aside intra-party differences; concentrate our resources towards the promotion of the party. We will make necessary consultations and dialogue to actualise this”.
President Tinubu disclosed this during an interfaith breaking of fast with senior journalists and media executives at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Saturday.
He also disclosed that his administration had opened up on the principles of true federalism to the extent that local governments now get direct allocation from the Federal Government.
“There’s no morning that I ever leave my house without going through the newspapers. It’s an addiction. I read all of you.
“It might not be in full detail, but headline, the one that would hit me and the ones that won’t.
“At the beginning of this administration, I was just a little bit stubborn, looking at opportunities to correct things and make life more easier for the downtrodden.
“We’ve opened up the principle of federalism to the extent that local governments are now getting their money, but how they use it is in your hands. So, don’t bombard me alone,” President Tinubu said.
The ruling party said the ADC had turned criticism of the APC-led administration into its operating manifesto instead of presenting concrete solutions to Nigeria’s economic challenges.
In a statement issued on Saturday by the APC National Publicity Secretary, Mr Felix Morka, the party dismissed the ADC’s interpretation of a report presented at a policy dialogue organised by Agora Policy which suggested that the country’s poverty rate had risen from 49 per cent to 63 per cent.
Mr Morka said the opposition party’s reaction to the report as a “damning verdict” on the government’s economic policies reflected either ignorance of economic realities or deliberate political mischief.
“The African Democratic Congress’ attempt to spin a recent report presented at the Agora Policy dialogue indicating a rise of poverty rate of 63 per cent from 49 per cent as a damning verdict on this administration’s economic policies speaks either to its shocking ignorance of economic policy or its wilful blindness to the justification for, and transformative impacts of, ongoing economic reforms,” he said.
The APC spokesman noted that the report itself recognised the necessity of reforms aimed at correcting long-standing structural distortions in the economy.
According to him, the ADC had failed to present any credible alternative policy direction for Nigerians.
“Clearly, the ADC does not recognise itself as a political party. The ADC has not articulated a single alternative policy position or prescription of benefit to Nigerians. Condemning the APC and its policies has become its operating manifesto,” Mr Morka said.
He explained that major economic decisions taken by President Bola Tinubu, including the removal of fuel subsidy and the unification of multiple foreign exchange windows, were necessary steps to rescue the country’s economy from collapse.
Mr Morka said the subsidy regime had for years placed a heavy burden on public finances, consuming trillions of naira annually while encouraging corruption, fuel smuggling and inefficiencies in the system.
He added that the reforms had helped redirect national resources to key sectors such as infrastructure, healthcare, education and social development.
The APC spokesman acknowledged that economic reforms often come with short-term hardship but stressed that the measures were essential to build a stronger and more resilient economy.
“Economic reform is never cost-free anywhere in the world. The transient hardship experienced by Nigerians was an inevitable cost of reforms meant to build and guarantee a better future for all Nigerians,” he said.
Mr Morka maintained that the country’s economic outlook was already improving, citing recent growth figures and stronger external reserves.
“Our economy has rebounded and is expanding steadily. The country’s Gross Domestic Product grew by 4.4 per cent last year and is projected to expand by 5.5 per cent this fiscal year, with foreign reserves now exceeding $50 billion,” he stated.
He also pointed to government initiatives designed to cushion the effects of economic adjustments on citizens, including cash transfer programmes, student loan schemes and the rollout of compressed natural gas (CNG) initiatives to reduce transportation costs.
Mr Morka reaffirmed that the APC-led administration would remain focused on rebuilding the economy and expanding social investments to support vulnerable Nigerians.
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