Politics: Thugs open fire on Gov Amaechi’s convoy

RIVERS State Governor Rotimi Amaechi 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.”