Rivers Gov Denies Association With Attack On Atiku’s Supporters

The Rivers State Government has denied having any association with the recent attack on some supporters of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Omuma Local Government Area of the state.

Naija News reports that the state’s Commissioner for Information, Chris Finebone dismissed the allegation that the recent attack was politically motivated.

According to him, the allegation that the Rivers government and governor, Nyesom Wike is linked to the attack on Atiku supportrs remained wide speculation.

The reaction follows an alleged attack on the coordinator of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council, Nnamdi Nwogu by thugs while pasting posters of Atiku.

Recall that Naija News had reported that there was an attack on some supporters of Atiku in Eberi, Omuma local government area of Rivers state by suspected thugs.

Naija News had gathered that Nwogu, confirmed the attack and disclosed that one person was shot by the suspected thugs.

Nwogu had claimed that over 30 youths brandishing machetes and guns attacked him, his aide and three others while they were pasting posters of their principal at Eberi-Omuma junction in Omuma.

He also alleged that political leaders in the area ordered the attack, saying his aide, Udochukwu Nwakpala was cut with machetes and shot at.

“They said they were asked to attack me and all the supporters of Atiku. That we must not campaign for Atiku in this local government. What is our crime? Allow me to campaign for my candidate, and if you have your candidate why not go and campaign for your own candidate? Does it call for war?” Nwogu had said.

However, Finebone in his reaction to the state government furthered that the members of the party are aware that PDP doesn’t support violence, especially at the intra-party level.

He advanced that the pro-Atiku group within the party was free to campaign in Rivers, adding that the electorate would make their choice at the polls.

Finebone said “That allegation is totally untrue. To the best of my knowledge, the young man at Omuma has given out an interview, which I listened to today (Thursday), that those who attacked him he didn’t suspect to be politically motivated. He said so; I listened to him.

“There isn’t any need for this PDP-on-PDP violence. I don’t think it has come to that; it hasn’t come to that. Indeed, no form of violence should happen now and the PDP is very conscious of the fact that violence isn’t and shouldn’t be part of our political script.

“Have the 12 people the police claimed to have arrested made statements? Have they pointed to where their motivation came from? I’m not sure they have and until the police who have made the arrest, I understand, tell the world, and tell Nigerians the outcome of their investigation, it will continue to remain wild speculation for anyone to think and point in a certain direction.

“They are very free to campaign anywhere in Rivers State. They are free to campaign. There is a difference between campaigning and voting. Anybody can campaign on anything but during voting, people will know where to and for whom to vote. That is an essential element of democracy – that people have freedom of choice. We stand by this.”

Meanwhile, reports have it that the police are yet to give investigation reports on the 12 suspects arrested in connection with the attack.