Rotimi Amaechi, the Rives State Governor escaped unhurt in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area on Thursday when gunmen, suspected to be political thugs, fired shots at his convoy.
Two members of the All Progressives Congress were however unlucky as they were seriously injured in the incident, which happened at about 6pm on Thursday.
The governor was on a door-to-door ward campaign of the area.
An SMS sent to our correspondent by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. David Iyofor, indicated that the attackers made bonfire along a major road in the area to prevent the governor from leaving.
The SMS read, “This evening, gunshots were fired at the convoy of Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi at Rumuolumeni, Obio/Akpor LGA by PDP thugs.
“Obio/Akpor is the home of the PDP governorship candidate in the state, Nyesom Wike. The thugs attacked the governor’s convoy and his entourage with bottles, stones and other dangerous objects. Then gunshots were fired at the convoy.
“When the governor was leaving the community, bonfire was set up on the road to prevent him from leaving. More gunshots were fired at his convoy. Amaechi was on door-to-door ward campaign in the state.”
The Greater Together Campaign Organisation, a team in charge of the APC candidate, Dakuku Peterside’s governorship campaign, described the attack on the convoy as part of the plan to assassinate chieftains and members of the APC.
The Director of the campaign organisation, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, said in a statement in Port Harcourt that the thugs were repelled by the governor’s security personnel.
Semenitari lamented that the situation in the state had become worrisome considering that a group of security operatives had gone to the governor’s home town to carry out a secret investigation.
The statement read in part, “In keeping with their plans to attack and assassinate chieftains and members of the APC, thugs of the PDPambushed the convoy of Governor Amaechi, who was on a door-to-door campaign in Rumuolumeni, Obio/Akpor, Rivers State.
“The thugs were repelled by the governor’s security personnel. However, the PDP in Rivers State has concluded plans to launch house-to-house attack on APC chieftains in the state with the aid of security personnel.”
When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Ahmad Mohammad, told our correspondent that he was still trying to reach out to the Divisional Police Officer in Obio/Akpor to ascertain the veracity of the claim that the governor’s convoy was attacked.
Mohammad promised to react to the matter as soon as he got any response from the DPO in Obio/Akpor but he had yet to keep the promise as of 9pm on Thursday.
Also in Edo State, the government on Thursday alleged deployment of armed soldiers in the country home of Governor Adams Oshiomhole in Iyamoh Etsakor West LGA.
A statement by the state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Louis Odion, said the presence of the soldiers was to “intimidate the governor on election day.”
The statement read in part, “Family members of the governor were shocked to find his country home taken over by soldiers this(Thursday) afternoon. When asked, the invading force said they were acting on orders from above.
“We also have it on good authority that the Army high command in Abuja had sent some soldiers to Edo State on what they described as ‘special operations’.
“In order not to arouse suspicion, these soldiers were told to dress in suits and pose as SSS operatives and station them at polling units on election day, particularly in areas seen as APC strongholds.”
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I have been reporting on latest news from Nigeria for almost 10 years now. I report on every possible news area I come across, but always ensure my reports are compiled with dignity and fact to uphold my personal values and duty as a journalist
Posted: at 27-03-2015 07:29 AM (10 years ago) | Addicted Hero
Shawn4gold at 27-03-2015 10:28 AM (10 years ago) (m)
be sincere and call evil evil. our politicians are evil men. they want power at all cost. watever u sow, u will reap. if u kill a governor and u coming in as a governor, u will also be killed.
Posted: at 27-03-2015 10:28 AM (10 years ago) | Newbie
donmagnum at 27-03-2015 10:47 AM (10 years ago) (m)
It's all a big fat lie. First, its not in Wike's home tpwn, its at another location . All through Ameachi's tenure, he has refused to do the major roads linking that particular village to the town (Wike's village). On two occasions, the community blocked the roads to draw the governments attention but Ameachi said he would give them excavators to dig the road so as to prevent any movement. Master Energy, Saipem, and other big companies are in that area , but there is nothing to write home about the state of the road. so when he (Ameachi) came yesterday, the community people were angry and riot broke out before his security men started to open fire. SO GET FACTS BEFORE WRITING FALSE NEWS.
Posted: at 27-03-2015 10:47 AM (10 years ago) | Newbie
donmagnum at 27-03-2015 10:56 AM (10 years ago) (m)
the name of the community is RUMUOLUMENI where you have the RIVERS STATE UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATIION, while Wike's community is RUMOPRIKOM at WIMPY JUNCTION AREA AL IN PORT HARCOUR. You can call any one in these area to ask them what the state of IWOFE ROAD is? Ameachi said that the community did not vote for him but rather loves Celestine Omehia, tte person he won in the court case that brought him in.
Posted: at 27-03-2015 10:56 AM (10 years ago) | Newbie