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The venue of the mega rally organised by NEW Associates, a political group loyal to Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, was on Saturday disrupted by gunshots, causing tge particioants to scatter in different directions.
The rally, which was spearheaded by George Turnah, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Bayelsa, on behalf of Wike to appreciate President Bola Tinubu for appointing indigenes of the state to positions in his government, was underway when the sounds of gunfire rent the air.
The rally, originally slated for April 12, at the Church of God Mission Camp venue was shifted to April 26 to avoid a clash with another rally organised by supporters of Governor Douye Diri, who also chose the same date and venue.
The sudden burst of gunfire has heightened tensions in an already politically volatile atmosphere.
However, it could not be ascertained where the gunshots were fired from but it was suspected that it was the work of those opposed to the rally while some suggested that it was a clash between rival groups and had no bearing to the event.
The governor had been at daggers drawn with the organisers of the rally. Diri had warned against the political upheaval in Rivers State in which Wike was actively involved to his state.
However, security operatives arrived to take control of the situation.
Meanwhile, Comrade Ebilade Ekerefe, the Secretary of NEW Associates and a former spokesman of the Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, has accused the Bayelsa government of complicity in the incident, claiming that
the state government had plans to scatter their peaceful rally.
the state government had plans to scatter their peaceful rally.
Speaking to reporters, he said: “How will somebody go after the law abiding citizens of Nigeria, particularly Ijaw youths, who have gathered to associate politically, we are not here to cause any trouble, we are here to express our supports, solidarity to the President and Commander-in-Chief.”
