Governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (PDP), Magnus Abe has accused the Rivers State Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Desmond Akawor, of mobilizing girded hoodlums to prevent his campaign team from campaigning in Oyigbo local government area of Rivers State.

Abe, who made this accusation during a press briefing on Tuesday, November 15, 2022 at his campaign office in Port Harcourt, said the suspected thugs prevented his team from holding a Stakeholders Meeting at Ayama Hall in Ayama, Ndoki, Ward 1, Oyigbo LGA, which he disclosed was built and donated by him to the community when he was in the Senate.

“Today however, the matter has gotten to a point where we will no longer be quiet, the country must be aware of what is going on in Rivers State. The SDP in Oyigbo Local Government Area were to hold a stakeholders’ meeting this morning, not a rally.”

“I indicated my intention to attend the meeting in order to encourage our supporters in Oyigbo and also pay a condolence visit to one of the kings and then see the chiefs of Oyigbo as well as visit one or two prominent members of SDP in the area.”

“The meeting was to hold in a hall in Ayama. This hall was built, furnished and donated to the community by me when I was in the Senate as one of my constituency projects”.

“When they heard on radio that we were to hold a meeting there, early this morning, thugs led by the Personal Assistant to the State PDP Chairman, Ambassador Desmond Akawor broke into the place, scattered everything and locked up the place, and said we could not hold a meeting there even though approval for the facility had been given by the chief and elders of the community.”

“When we got to Egberu, the border into Oyigbo, the road was blocked by thugs armed with guns, knives and all kinds of dangerous weapons. They said this is the home of Desmond Akawor and that we could not enter Oyigbo. That there can be no SDP in Oyigbo Local Government. And I was like did we mistakenly stray into another country or we are still in this part of the Federal Republic of Nigeria? Because this was happening in broad daylight.”

The former Secretary to the Rivers State Government and Senator representing Rivers South-East in the Senate appealed to the State Governor, Nyesom Wike and State PDP Chairman, Desmond Akawor to checkmate such exuberances by their supporters, asserting that the action perpetrated by those thugs loyal to Akawor was not tolerable as such attitude can make the state ungovernable.

“I want to use this opportunity to appeal to the Governor and appeal to all leaders, particularly Desmond Akawor himself, that this kind of behaviour is not tolerable and if all of us behave like this, the state will become ungovernable because everybody has a village and road passes through all our villages. We also have boys and supporters at home.”

“So, I want to appeal to everybody, let us change the way we do things, let us do things differently, let us allow democracy to take root in our time.”

But responding to the allegations, Desmond Akawor denied the claim, saying thuggery is not part of his lifestyle and Abe is his recognised friend.

“For me, Abe has enough problems with APC and his people, he should not ascribe it to me. He is my friend, we met and hugged each other in a function recently.”

“Ok, let’s assume, without conceding, that he was going to my place for campaign, is it not out of courtesy that he tells me that he was going to my village?”

“Is he not aware of the Executive Orders 21 and 22 which borders on the use of public school grounds for political campaigns and the use of private premises in residential areas for political meetings?”