A political earthquake shook Rivers State yesterday, prompting the ruling party in the state, the All Progressives Congress (APC), to declare the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) dead in the state.

With relative ease, the campaign train of APC governorship candidate, Dr. Dakuku Adol Peterside, and his running mate, Hon. Honourable Asita O. Asita, stormed the strongholds of the PDP gubernatorial candidate, Chief Nyesome Wike, and the PDP State Chairman, Hon. Felix Obuah.

At both Obio/Akpor and Omoku, it was more like a liberation campaign as unprecedented crowds turned out to enthusiastically receive Dr. Peterside and his team with dancing and rejoicing. Traditional rulers in both local government areas received the candidate with titles, reaffirming the endorsement of their ticket for the February 28 election.

The destruction, the previous night at Omoku, of APC campaign materials by alleged PDP hoodlums in no way affected the success of the event. Praise and worship to the Almighty God were among the highlights of the two events as it has become the custom of Dakuku Peterside campaign to hand over his campaign to God at each stop. Various interest groups, including the non-indigenes, civil society, traditional and political stakeholders, were all united in their support for APC.

At Obio/Akpor, the local government area of Chief Nyesome Wike, two prominent traditional rulers, HRM Aniele Oriebe (Nyewe-Ali-Akpor) and HRM Eze Gift Johnson (Paramount Ruler of Apara Kingdom), received and blessed Dakuku Peterside. The Peterside camp described this as a reaffirmation of his earlier adoption by Ikwerre kings. The atmosphere was electrifying, the people dancing as they sang: “There will be no more Wike, no more, no more. No more, for many thousand years. . . ”

In his speech, Dr. Lawrence Chukwu, the CTC Chairman of the local government area, thanked Governor Chibuike Amaechi for his love and concern for the Obio/Akpor Local Government Area by establishing various capital-intensive projects in the area. Dr. Chukwu named these to include schools, hospitals and road infrastructure. He also thanked Amaechi “for giving us two important offices in the state – recommending our son, Chief Nyesome Wike, as a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, not minding that he is an ingrate that bites the finger that fed him; and appointing Chief Tony Okocha, an amiable son of the area, as the Chief of Staff to the Governor.”

The LG boss apologised for the behavour of Chief Wike and assured the Governor that all the candidates of APC would be voted overwhelmingly in Obio/Akpor, the local government area that has the highest voting strength in the country.

An enthusiastic Chief Tony Okocha, the political leader of the area and APC candidate for the House of Representatives, summed up the event thus: “Obio/Akpor is a conquered area for APC; even the enemies know as much. Today, we have proven to Chief Wike and few of his diehards that he is no longer relevant in the political equation of the area as we are today liberated from a man who only wants himself to be the sole leader of the area.”

Commenting on the rally, the APC State Chairman, Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, Hon. Chinwo, one-time member of the Federal House of Representatives, and Chief Victor Giadom, the Director General of Rivers APC Campaign Organisation, all declared that PDP is now formally buried in Rivers State, never to resurrect again.

Speaking during the rallies, Dr. Peterside promised that his administration would free Rivers State from every form of insecurity, thuggery, nepotism and embark upon infrastructural revolution in the State. He showcased his blueprint for the emancipation and development of Rivers State titled ‘Road Map to Prosperity’. Dr. Peterside reassured all Rivers people including the non-indigenes, of the commitment of his administration once elected to continue the legacies of Governor Amaechi, “including empowering all Rivers State people, of which the non-indigenes are an integral part, through my Four-Point Agenda titled ‘Road Map to Prosperity’ for the people of Rivers State.”

The APC flag-bearer explained that the Four-Point Agenda aimed at taking Rivers State to the next level include Public Sector Accountability and Security of Lives and Properties; Employment Generation and Wealth Creation; Social and Human Capital Development and Empowerment; as well as Institutional and Physical infrastructure Development and Food Security.

•Photo shows Dakuku Peterside acknowledging cheers on the campaign trail.