Wike's Executive Order 21 Banning Public Gatherings Isn't Workable - APC's Cole
Political tension in Rivers State over who succeeds Governor Nyesom Wike in 2023 could increase in the coming days as the leading contender in the upcoming gubernatorial polls, Tonye Cole of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has rejected Executive Order 21 of the state government prohibiting political parties from holding campaigns and rallies using public facilities without the payment of a N5 million security fee.
Reacting to the politics, Cole called Governor Nyesom Wike's issuance of Executive Order 21 “abhorrent”.
According to the APC candidate, such action amounted to stifling the political space of opposition parties in the state.
He lamented saying, “We have witnessed with great dismay the ill-fated attempt by the Governor of Rivers State to stifle political space, especially for opposition political parties.”
>This, he said, was "visible in the recent signing of Executive Order 21, which prohibits the use of public schools, built with the taxpayer dollars of Rivers residents, for party events. policies without the prior approval of the Ministry of State for Education (not the Education Authority vested with the power to run the facilities) and the payment of an obscene non-refundable (sic) fee of 5 million naira”.
In a statement signed by Tonye Cole Campaign Organization spokesperson Barr Sogbeye ElI, the APC gubernatorial candidate said the governor could not intimidate and crush opposition parties even before they elections proper.
Cole said, "We unequivocally state that Executive Order 21 is deliberately orchestrated and part of the Governor's plot to stifle competition from other political parties.
"It is a manifestation of his penchant for brutally crushing and suppressing opposition in a multi-party democracy instead of allowing citizens to exercise their freedom of choice as enshrined in the Constitution. We are not so not surprised that Wike is going that route in his resolve to impose a stooge on Rivers State as his successor in power.”
The campaign organization, however, pledged that “The All Progressives Congress will campaign with our candidates throughout Rivers State as provided for in the Constitution and as required by law.”
p>Reacting to the de-recognition of Sir Celestine Omehia as a former governor of the state, the Tonye Cole organization said the decision could not be considered a case of restoration of legality as claimed the governor.
According to the APC campaign organization, the de-recognition did not come across as a correction of a past wrong or mistake, but as a display of punitive arrogance that is inconsistent with the Rivers State that we plan to lead."
Political tension in Rivers State over who succeeds Governor Nyesom Wike in 2023 could increase in the coming days as the leading contender in the upcoming gubernatorial polls, Tonye Cole of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has rejected Executive Order 21 of the state government prohibiting political parties from holding campaigns and rallies using public facilities without the payment of a N5 million security fee.
Reacting to the politics, Cole called Governor Nyesom Wike's issuance of Executive Order 21 “abhorrent”.
According to the APC candidate, such action amounted to stifling the political space of opposition parties in the state.
He lamented saying, “We have witnessed with great dismay the ill-fated attempt by the Governor of Rivers State to stifle political space, especially for opposition political parties.”
>This, he said, was "visible in the recent signing of Executive Order 21, which prohibits the use of public schools, built with the taxpayer dollars of Rivers residents, for party events. policies without the prior approval of the Ministry of State for Education (not the Education Authority vested with the power to run the facilities) and the payment of an obscene non-refundable (sic) fee of 5 million naira”.
In a statement signed by Tonye Cole Campaign Organization spokesperson Barr Sogbeye ElI, the APC gubernatorial candidate said the governor could not intimidate and crush opposition parties even before they elections proper.
Cole said, "We unequivocally state that Executive Order 21 is deliberately orchestrated and part of the Governor's plot to stifle competition from other political parties.
"It is a manifestation of his penchant for brutally crushing and suppressing opposition in a multi-party democracy instead of allowing citizens to exercise their freedom of choice as enshrined in the Constitution. We are not so not surprised that Wike is going that route in his resolve to impose a stooge on Rivers State as his successor in power.”
The campaign organization, however, pledged that “The All Progressives Congress will campaign with our candidates throughout Rivers State as provided for in the Constitution and as required by law.”
p>Reacting to the de-recognition of Sir Celestine Omehia as a former governor of the state, the Tonye Cole organization said the decision could not be considered a case of restoration of legality as claimed the governor.
According to the APC campaign organization, the de-recognition did not come across as a correction of a past wrong or mistake, but as a display of punitive arrogance that is inconsistent with the Rivers State that we plan to lead."
What's Your Reaction?
