The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), over the weekend, postponed its governorship rally in Nembe following a clash between its supporters and those of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Daily Sun gathered that supporters of PDP and APC had a violent confrontation at Igopiri, Nembe- Bassambi while the former were on their way to attend the PDP rally at Brass Local Government Area on Thursday.
Though there have been recriminations from both parties on which side provoked the other, the tension triggered by the incident coupled with threats of attack on the ruling party by aggrieved youths of the community over the maltreatment of their son, the Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral Gboriogbioha John by the PDP, forced a postponement of the rally.
The Director, Media and Publicity of the Diri/ Lawrence campaign Organisation, Jonathan Obuebite in a statement said the rally was shifted “due to unforeseen circumstances”.
In another statement titled, ‘Attack on PDP members in Nembe should be the last’ Obuebite who insisted that it was suspected thugs of APC that rounded up and attacked PDP members, condemned the attack, noting that the “mindless and unprovoked attack was a direct affront to the peace and resolve of the PDP and all its members.”
Obuebite who warned that the political maturity of the PDP and its candidate, Senator Douye Diri should not be taken for granted or be misconstrued as a sign of weakness, called on APC leaders to call their members to order and make them stay on the path of peace, otherwise the PDP will not fail to defend its members.
However, in a direct response to PDP, the Chairman of APC Nembe media committee, Ala Mathias Nyenye distanced APC from attack on PDP supporters, noting that it were thugs imported by PDP that went on rampage, attacking innocent people after they were short-changed by those that hired them