The Rivers State Government has shut the campaign office of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, in the state.

The office which is located in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital was sealed off in the early hours of Friday.

Speaking on the development, the Rivers State PDP Presidential Campaign Council said the closure was based on the orders of the Rivers State Government but did not give a further explanation on the action.

The state governor, Nyesom Wike, had a few weeks ago signed Executive Order 22 which restricted political parties and their candidates from siting political campaign offices in residential areas without government approval.

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However, the media team of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council in the state said it had applied for approval from the state government but has not received any feedback for several weeks.

It condemned the closure of the campaign office “because it rubs off on our fundamental right to free expression of interest.”

“This egregious move by the Rivers State Government, seen in the prism of politics, tends to militarise our democracy and renders our dear state politically recessive when juxtaposed with other states in the country,” the Rivers PDP PCC added.

The closure of the campaign office of Atiku in Rivers State comes amidst the crisis bewildering the PDP which has seen the presidential candidate at loggerheads with Wike ahead of the 2023 general election.

The Star