Two separate accidents, yesterday, involving the convoy of some governors, occurred in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, when President Goodluck Jonathan visited the state to launch his presidential campaign in the south-south.
L-R Governor Rotimi Amaechi Rivers State Governor; President Goodluck Jonathan; Arch Namadi Sambo Vice Prreseident; Governor Godswill Akpabio Akwa-Ibom State Governor; Senator David Mark Senate President and Governor Emmanuel Udughan Delta State Governor during the PDP South-south Presidential Campaign and handing over of PDP Flagg to PDP South-south Governors yeaterday in Portharcourt Rivers State. Photo:Nwankpa Chijioke
Whereas the accidents occurred along Aba Road, 10 persons were allegedly crushed in a stampede at the Liberation Stadium, Port Harcourt, the venue of the president’s rally, when policemen on horseback, after the event, rode into a crowd of people who were scampering for Naira notes thrown into the air by a political bigwig.
Four reportedly died on the spot while six gave up the ghost at the hospital where they were rushed to, after the stampede.
However, Rivers State police PRO, Dr. Rita Inoma-Abbey (a DSP), said no one died during the stampede but that “people only suffocated and fainted and no death was recorded. I have been to the hospital, no corpse has been deposited there”.
Sunday Vanguard observed that police vans carried what appeared like lifeless people as they drove away from the stadium premises, even as some people laid motionless outside the gate of the stadium after the stampede.
It was also noticed that people wailed as the police vans drove along Elekahia community, which hosts the stadium, just as some people rushed to the stadium to ascertain the whereabouts of their relations who had gone to the rally.
A morgue attendant at the Braithwaite Memorial Hospital who did not want his name in print said “some policemen brought some corpses a few minutes ago and they said the people died during the president’s visit”.
Meanwhile, the president has assured the people of the south-south that his presidency would bring about transformational change in the region. Addressing the zonal campaign in Port Harcourt, Jonathan said he would sit with governors and leaders of the party from the region to evolve a concrete development plan for the area after he is elected in the general elections.
Promising that any project started by his administration in the region would be completed, the president pleaded for cooperation from youths and people of the region. According to him, no development comes up overnight.
He also said the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, was already in talks with those to invest in the petrochemical industry in the region. Jonathan said his presidency would strive to address the challenges of unemployment. The president stated with the local content law already in place people from the region would emerge key actors in the oil and gas sector.
Noting that his ticket along with his vice president, Namadi Sambo, signifies national unity and positive changes, Jonathan thanked the region for voting for him and his deputy massively at the last presidential primary election of the PDP in Abuja.
The acting national chairman of the party, Dr Bello Muhamed, presented flags to the PDP governorship candidates in the five states of the region where election would hold in April this year. They include Governors Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers, Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom, Timipre Sylva of Bayelsa , Senator Liyel Imoke of Cross Rivers and Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta.
Other speakers at the event lauded the Jonathan/Sambo ticket, expressing the hope that it would take the country to greater heights.
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