Members of the All Progressives Congress from Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State have called on President Goodluck Jonathan to caution his wife, Dame Patience Jonathan, over the woman’s alleged refusal to allow the party to hold its governorship campaign in the area.
The party alleged that rather than agree to provide security for the APC governorship campaign in Okrika, the state Police command had suggested that the event be postponed indefinitely since it (command) would not be able to guarantee security if the rally was held.
Okrika, the native home of Mrs. Patience Jonathan, is one of the areas in the state currently embroiled in political crisis, having recorded cases of attacks on APC campaign ground and other forms of politically-motivated violence.
Speaking with newsmen in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, the Chairman of Dakuku Peterside Campaign Organisation in Okrika Local Government Area, Mr. Tamuno William, explained that the APC had been forced to postpone indefinitely its proposed rally in Okrika based on the directive of the state Police command.
William explained that the governorship campaign rally that was to hold on Wednesday was thwarted by police insistence that security was not guaranteed in the area.
He added, “On Monday February 10, leaders of the APC in Okrika received invitation letters to a security briefing with CP Bature scheduled for Tuesday February 11, 2015.
“Prior to these invitations, there were rumours all over Okrika to the effect that the wife of the President, Mrs. Jonathan, had decreed that the APC must not be allowed to hold its rallies in the two Okrika-speaking local government areas of Okrika and Ogu/Bolo.
“According to the rumours, despite several entreaties to her majestic Excellency to allow the APC hold a mere campaign rally, she insisted that the rallies must not hold on ‘her turf’.
“To further guarantee that her orders were not to be thwarted, Mrs. Jonathan arrived Port Harcourt today, Wednesday February, 11, 2015, with plans to visit Okrika on Thursday, February 12.
“In obedience to the invitation from the CP, the leadership of the APC was at the Rivers State Police command at 12 noon and waited to meet with the CP and waited up till 12.40pm.
“Eventually, DC Shaba, DC Amadi and other members of the command, who sat in for the CP, received us. The members of the PDP were evidently absent at the meeting. The sum total of the meeting with the police command was that the Rivers State Police command was unable to guarantee security for anyone in Rivers State during any rallies.
“This meeting was holding at the same time as the PDP was holding its own rally in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.”
It will be recalled that Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson has blamed President Goodluck Jonathan’s wife, First Lady Patience Jonathan for being behind the the recent crowd revolt against his bid for a second term in officeduring the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Rally at the Samson Siasia Stadium in Yenagoa.
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