The Nyesom Wike-led Rivers Government will no longer release Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium for the rally of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar.
The state government in January approved the venue for the event scheduled to hold on February 11.
Commissioner for Sports, Christopher Green formally conveyed the decision of the administration to Governor Aminu Tambuwal.
The Sokoto helmsman is the Director-General of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council, PCC.
Green cited alleged plot by the Atiku campaign to share the venue with a faction of the All Progressives Congress, APC, loyal to Tonye Cole, the governorship candidate.
The official said credible intelligence indicated the PDP council was working with the APC to “accommodate and share the approved facility”.
Green noted that government records show APC activities “have always been marred by violence due largely to irreconcilable internal conflicts within the party”.
The commissioner mentioned “shootings and killings” during protests that followed the nomination of delegates for primaries and detonation of explosives in the course of campaigns.
The letter said the Rivers government is unable to risk damage to the valuable stadium “which your use of the same in collaboration with your Tonye Patrick Cole APC faction will definitely expose it to”.
