Rivers Govt Denies Blocking Wike-led pro-Tinubu Rally, Says Stadium Under Reconstruction
The Rivers State Government has rejected claims that it blocked a pro-President Bola Tinubu rally linked to Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, insisting that the Yakubu Gowon Stadium, Elekahia, Port Harcourt, is currently under reconstruction and unsafe for public use.
The denial followed allegations by Wike and the Rivers State Chairman of the Renewed Hope Agenda, Ambassador Desmond Akawor, that the state government refused to grant approval for the use of the stadium for the inauguration of Renewed Hope Agenda coordinators across the state’s three senatorial districts and 23 local government areas.
Although the rally eventually held on Friday at the Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic in Rumuola, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Wike had accused the state government of deliberately frustrating the event. He also warned that future denial of access to public facilities could result in forceful occupation.
Reacting in a statement issued on Friday, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Communications, Honour Sirawoo, dismissed the allegations as “false and misleading,” explaining that the stadium is undergoing major reconstruction works.
“The Yakubu Gowon Stadium is currently under reconstruction and is unsafe for public use,” Sirawoo said, stressing that the claim that the facility was deliberately denied for political reasons was unfounded.
He disclosed that he personally inspected the stadium on Friday alongside the Commissioner for Sports, Christopher Green, under the supervision of the site engineer, adding that the extent of ongoing work made it impossible for any public event to hold at the venue.
Sirawoo urged political actors in the state to prioritise public safety and the collective interest of Rivers State above political considerations, noting that there is life beyond politics. He also stated that Governor Siminalayi Fubara remains committed to supporting President Tinubu’s re-election.
In a related reaction, the Commissioner for Sports, who also serves as the state’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Christopher Green, said his ministry did not receive any formal application for the use of the stadium.
Green further noted that the alternative venue used for the rally, Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic, is also owned by the Rivers State Government, countering claims of political exclusion.
He explained that the site engineer, Michael Ebitenye, warned that the stadium was in a delicate condition, with underground pipes beneath the pitch vulnerable to damage from heavy human traffic. According to him, critical sections of the facility, including VIP areas, pose serious safety risks.
The commissioner added that the contracting firm handling the renovation, Monimichelle, would not allow the use of any part of the stadium during reconstruction, “regardless of political affiliation,” in order to protect lives and property.
