The Rivers State Government has withdrawn the approval granted the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Organisation to use the state-owned Adoki Amasiaemeka Stadium in Ikwerre LGA for its campaign scheduled to hold on February 11.

Governor Nyesom Wike weeks ago gave an approval for the use of the stadium for the campaign with a condition that the facility would only be accessed 48 hours to the event.

The Commissioner for Sports, Barrister Christopher Green, said the state government took the decision following an intelligence report that the Atiku Campaign Organisation planned to share the facility with the state’s APC governorship candidate, Tonye Cole. Green stated this in a letter dated January 31, 2023, addressed to the Director General of the Atiku Campaign Organisation and Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal. He said, “Credible intelligence available to Rivers State Government and recent developments now show that your presidential campaign organisation is working in collaboration with a faction of APC and its intention of your presidential campaign organisation to accommodate and share the approved facility for your campaign with the said faction of APC.

“Government record showed that the activities of the APC in Rivers State have always been marred by violence due largely to irreconcilable internal conflict within the party.”Green further said the state government withdrew the approval for the use of the stadium for Atiku’s presidential campaign rally because it was not ready to expose the stadium to any risk of being damaged.

Efforts made by our reporter to speak with the spokesman of the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation in Rivers State, Dr Lenu Nwibubasa, was unsuccessful.