*Says ‘Wike’s conduct has not demonstrated statesmanship’
Spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Council, Mr Charles Aniagwu, has said that the party shelved its presidential campaign rally in Rivers State to avoid bloodshed.
Aniagwu, who state this on Tuesday in Asaba, Delta State, said the cancellation of the planned rally became necessary due to rising spate of insecurity in the state.
He said that the party opted out of the rally because Atiku Abubakar and Ifeanyi Okowa believed that their ambition was not worth the blood of any Nigerian.
He said that PDP’s selling point in the election is the abysmal performance of the APC, pointing out that PDP would sweep virtually all the strongholds of APC in the country.
“Atiku has examined the whole scenario playing out in Rivers State, yes he may have enough policemen to secure him, his running mate, Okowa and indeed some leaders of the party in Rivers.
”But will it be possible to provide enough security for the massive supporters that would come to the stadium that was approved, cancelled and re-approved?
“So, like Jonathan said in 2015 when he said that his ambition is not worth the blood of any Nigerian;
“The Presidential Candidate of the PDP and his running mate believe that their ambition is not worth the blood of any Nigerian and that they would not want to sacrifice any Nigerian on the altar of wanting to be President.
“We will device means of talking to our brothers and sisters in Rivers because we believe that Rivers state is still largely PDP and that they will vote for Atiku-Okowa.
” And one way or the other we will reach out to them and talk to them but having to organise a rally where anybody will even have to lose his life is not something we would want to undertake.
“As Nigerians, everybody knows that the conduct of the Rivers governor in the whole processes has not demonstrated statesmanship.
“He is a member of our party and we have accorded him the respect we believe he deserves but you know that he has reciprocated that by way of his comments, actions and Nigerians must be weary of this kind of conduct.
“For us, our determination is to bring everybody together in this country and Atiku and Okowa are ever determined to do that.
“Atiku and Okowa are ready to carry everybody along when they win. Atiku is ready to recover our country,” he said.
Aniagwu said that the safety of individuals who comes to the party’s rally was very much important, hence having seen the dangers ahead, the party would not subject its members to such dangers.
“We believe that by the grace of God, Atiku-Okowa will not only win Rivers but win majority of votes in this election and at the same time garner 25 per cent in 26 states and the FCT.
“From the day Atiku-Okowa is pronounced winners, they will start the process of rebuilding this country,” Aniagwu said.
