PDP Crisis Takes New Turn as Wike-led Rivers Govt Seals Filling Station, Hotel Owned by Atiku’s Allies

• Fresh trouble may be brewing in the PDP as the Rivers state government seals some hotels in Port Harcourt
• The sealed facilities are reportedly owned by allies of the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar
• Meanwhile, Governor Wike warned that hotels and other entertainment places that are linked with criminal political activities will be pulled down

Port Harcourt, Rivers state - A combined team of security operatives on Friday, August 19, sealed a hotel, bar and a filling station in Port Harcourt, while some people, including staff of the facilities were arrested.

The Punch reported that the facilities sealed are Preray Hotel at Eagle Island, Priscy’s Bar in Elekahia and Mega Tool Filling Station along Ojoto Street in the Diobu axis, all in the Rivers state capital.

The development comes after days after Governor Nyesom Wike in a state-wide broadcast alleged that some politicians were recruiting cultists and ex-convicts to destabilise the state over their 2023 political ambitions.

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Identities of PDP bigwigs loyal to Atiku whose businesses Wike reportedly sealed off in Rivers

Though the reason for the action has not been ascertained, it is alleged to be a clampdown on perceived political opponents.

Sealed facilities reportedly owned by Atiku's allies

Meanwhile, it was gathered that the sealed facilities are owned by loyalists to a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon Austin Opara.

Opara, a former ally of Wike, is no longer in the latter’s good books for allegedly hobnobbing with the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar.

Hotels hosting political thugs will be pulled down

Meanwhile, in a statement by his media aide, Kelvin Ebiri, Governor Wike said the government was aware that owners of hotels and entertainment centres are in the process of giving out their premises to politicians and political parties as a convenient base for the gathering of “political thugs”.

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Wike draws battleline, allegedly seals businesses of Atiku's loyalists in Rivers

“Similarly, we will not allow any political party, be it the All Progressives Congress, the Peoples Democratic Party or the Social Democratic Party to threaten the safety and security of lives and property during the campaigns with mayhem, thuggery or violence.

“Accordingly, we have already alerted and set the security agencies on the trail of these misguided politicians and leaders of political parties and stop them in their tracks with the full weight of the law," the statement partly read.

Governor Wike warned that the government will pull down hotels and other entertainment places that are linked with such criminal political activities.

Atiku vs Wike: PDP crisis deepens as reconciliation meeting deadlocked

Meanwhile, there is no peace in sight between the waring Governor Wike of and the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku.

Members of a committee created by the duo as part of the framework for the resolution of their differences, met in Port Harcourt for over four hours on Friday, August 19, without achieving the desired reconciliation.

The Rivers governor has been at loggerheads with Atiku ever since the PDP candidate declined to pick him as his running mate for the 2023 election but named Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta state.

Source: Legit.ng