NSAN NDOMA, CALABAR
There was palpitable tension in Calabar, the capital of Cross River State, when armed police men cordoned the Calabar Sports Club venue of the PDP and attempted to disrupt the PDP rally .
The rally which is organised by the leader ship of the PDP ahead of the forthcoming Ogoja/Yala federal Constituency and Akpabuyo State Constituency By-elections scheduled for February 26 this month.
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Our Correspondent in Cross River gathered that as early as 8:00am a crack team of well armed policemen and police amoured tank and some military personnel , civil defence stormed venue of the event to halt the event, unfortunately the organizers resisted and went ahead with the ceremony.
The police team upon arrival at the venue of the ceremony, threatened to decisively deal with PDP faithful should they refused to halt the event, unfortunately the PDP faithful resisted the police order saying that they were give due approval by the police.
Inspite of the warning from the police that the rally should not hold for security reasons, given the fact that the PDP rally coincided with the APC Lobby Group Youths Summit which took place at the UJ. Esuene Sports stadium, thousands of PDP supporters still thronged to the venue of the event for the event.
However, youths of the PDP entered the venue of the event through an emergency gates while some were seen erecting banners and pasting posters of their various candidates for the by-election and the three expected governors.
In his remarks one of the PDP youth leaders in the state Mr. Andrew Etim, who described attitude of the police as barbaric and taking side with ruling party said he is shocked that that the APC could used to intimidate and harrass adding that the APC is afraid of loosing power to the PDP in 2023.
While advancing reasons on why the PDP is choose to gather at the Calabar sports Club, Etim stated that the gathering is to enable the leadership of the party inaugurate campaign Committees for Ogoja/Yala federal Constituency and Akpabuyo State lllll By-elections where Dr Effiom Ekeng Edet was given ticket for Akpabuyo State Constituency and Chief Mike Usibe grapped ticket for Ogoja /Yala federal Constituency.
According to him, the flag off, ceremony is an event that aides the PDP candidates to move to their respective wards and polling units to commence aggressive campaigns to sell their candidates, who includes Chief Mike Usibe for Ogoja/Yala federal constituency and Dr Effiom Ekeng Edet for Akpabuyo State House of Assembly ahead of February 26 By-elections.
But in a swift reaction to the issue, the Cross River State Police Commissioner, Aminu Alhassan, stated that the police Command deployed it’s men to barricade venue of PDP rally, because of report gotten by the police was a report that is capable of causing security breach in the state especially now that the APC youths Lobby Group is holding thier rally today.
In his words Alhassan said,”I sent the security to avoid breakdown of law and order in the state. Two big parties cannot hold events the same day so that they wont cause problem.
“So, I had to stop the PDP own and allow APC own. PDP can hold their own tomorrow please.”Stressing that if the was anything that gives the police headache is insecurity and called for calm so that peace can thrive in the state.
After much pressure on the police,the rally finally held at the Calabar sports club where Rivers State governor Wike Nyamso addressed party stalwarts asking the stalwarts not to allow the APC intimidate and harrass members of the PDP.