WIKE THREATENS FORCEFUL ENTRY INTO YAKUBU GOWON STADIUM AMID RALLY DISPUTE
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Caroline Ameh / 4 days
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Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and former governor of Rivers State, has threatened to forcibly gain access to the Yakubu Gowon Stadium in Port Harcourt. The warning comes after the Rivers State Government allegedly denied the Renewed Hope Ambassadors permission to hold a rally at the venue. Speaking during the inauguration of coordinators for the Renewed Hope Ambassadors across Rivers State, Wike said:“We applied to the Rivers State Government for the Yakubu Gowon Stadium. They refused us. But next time we will break it by force. ”Wike framed the statement as a call to mobilize supporters, emphasizing that state facilities belong to all residents and urging persistence despite what he described as attempts at intimidation. He also pledged logistical support for the party’s campaigns, noting that each ward would receive vehicles to facilitate activities under the “Renewed Hope Agenda.”The Rivers State Government has dismissed Wike’s claims as baseless. Honour Sirawoo, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Communications, said the stadium is undergoing reconstruction, making it unsafe for public gatherings. He rejected the suggestion of political bias in the denial and highlighted the ongoing redevelopment as the reason for restricting access. The dispute underscores rising tensions between Wike and the state administration, with both sides exchanging firm statements over the planned rally.