2023 elections: Stop influx of thugs to Rivers, Sekibo tells IGP, DSS

Director of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Campaign Management Committee in Rivers State, Dr Abiye Sekibo, yesterday, urged the Inspector-General of Police, the Director-General of the Department of State Services, DSS, and other security agencies to stop the influx of thugs into the state, ahead of the 2023 General Elections.

Sekibo, a former minister of Transport, in a statement, insisted that the party stands for a peaceful election in the state, but warned that “the organisation must not be forced to resort to self-help.”

The statement reads: “We continue to stand for a peaceful election in all parts of Rivers State and Nigeria at large. We believe in giving peace a chance in Rivers State but I must say that no one has the monopoly of violence and we must not be forced to resort to self-help. This is an open plea to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“On December 14, 2022 at about 9:00pm, members of the Rivers State PDP Presidential Council received reports of armed attack on Mr Rhino Owhorkire, a youth leader of the Atiku Presidential Campaign team in Rivers State and his cousin, in Ikwerre Local Government Area. They were both shot while returning from a PDP Presidential Campaign event. They both sustained life threatening injuries, and are currently on admission at an Intensive Care Unit.

“Mr Rhino suffered similar attacks few weeks back when he was physically assaulted and asked to renounce his support for the PDP Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakaron the orders of a council official.

“Recently, we drew the attention of the nation to the dastardly attack on the residence of the Chairman, Rivers State PDP Presidential Campaign Council, Senator Lee Maeba, by political thugs believed to be working under the directives of the Obio/Akpor Local Government Council Chairman.”