Following recent attacks on political rallies in Rivers State, governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Arch. Tonye Cole has called on president Muhammadu Buhari to declare a state of emergency in the state.
Cole, who made the call through spokesperson of his Campaign Council, Sogbeye Eli said political parties in the state are under seige with unrelenting spare of political attacks by Gov. Nyesom Wike’s thugs.
According to him the recently signed Executive Orders 21 and 22 by Wike is behind the violence bedeviling the state.
“Observers of Rivers politics trace the foundation of the unprovoked attacks by anti-democratic forces to the enactment of Executive Orders 21 and 22 by Governor Nyesom Wike prohibiting political campaigns in public places, particularly government-owned schools,” he said.
“The Executive Orders also imposed a non-refundable cautionary deposit of N5 million on political parties for use of the facilities in each local government area, in contravention of limitations imposed on campaign financing by political parties and politicians in the Electoral Act 2022,” he added.
He also said further steps taken by Wike point squarely at him as the architect of the violence that has besieged the state.
“Emboldened by the governor’s reckless instigation, the factional PDP thugs have charged at the opposition parties campaigns and the splinter group supporting the presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, with renewed vigour. Campaign materials, such as billboards are destroyed with relish while opposition rallies are disrupted to the delight of the state government,” Cole further said.
