Thugs open fire on Gov Amaechi’s convoy
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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