rotimi Amaechi

The Rivers State Government yesterday condemned threats by the Peoples Demo­cratic Party (PDP) to force itself to use the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium in Port Harcourt to flag off its South-South presidential rally scheduled for January 28.
The state’s Chairman, Felix Obuah, at the week­end, told journalists that the Rotimi Amaechi admin­istration had refused its request to use the stadium to host President Goodluck Jonathan for the rally.
Obuah said: “The facilities of Rivers State are owned by all of us: all of us who pay tax. The Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium is built with money belonging to Rivers State. The stadium is not meant to be used only by General Muhammadu Buhari’s campaign.
“We dare him because it is not his personal prop­erty, come January 28, we are going to use that place. We have made official reports to the police, Direc­torate of State Security (DSS) and all the other law enforcement agencies”.
Reacting to the PDP’s insistence, the Commission­er for Information and Communications, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, said the statement “shows that the PDP has penchant for violence.
“The attention of the Rivers State Government has been drawn to the statement credited to the Peoples Democratic Party that it will force its way into the Rivers State Government-owned Adokiye Amiesima­ka Sports Complex to hold its Rivers State Presiden­tial Rally.”

“At a different time and under different circum­stances the Rivers State Government would have ignored the PDP ranting, but with the violence and recent bombings of people and property all over the state, it is pertinent that the Rivers State Government raises this alert and sounds a note of warning to the PDP that the Rivers State Government will not trifle with its responsibility to guarantee the safety of lives and property irrespective of whom is affected.
“The matter of the Adokiye Amiesimaka Sports Complex is a simple one. The complex is still under construction. As a work site, it is an unsafe environ­ment for use at this time. The PDP makes reference to the fact that the APC had held its rally at the same venue. What they failed to mention is that the contractor was moved out of site during the time the APC rally held and remobilized to site right after that rally.
“With less than five months to go to the end of its tenure, the Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi administra­tion is working on ensuring the completion of all its projects before the hand-over date of May 29”.
Semenitari said: “With that being the case, the River State Government cannot move its contrac­tors out of site at this time. Unlike the PDP that has consistently refused the APC the use of stadia and other facilities in Abuja and other states where it is in control, the Rivers State Government has magnani­mously offered the PDP the use of the Liberation Stadium Elekahia, which is also a state facility.
“The resolve of PDP to unlawfully break into the Adokiye Amiesi­maka Stadium is therefore, a clear determination to create chaos, cause breakdown of law and order and perhaps fulfill the threat issued by some of its members that they will burn down the complex,” the statement added.