The Peoples Democratic Party said it decided to cancel the Rivers State presidential rally to avoid the death of innocent people.
The party also said Governor Nyesom Wike set up traps and mines for the party, adding that both Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and Senator Ifeanyi Okowa were men of peace.
Mr Charles Aniagwu, the spokesman of the PDP presidential campaign council disclosed while speaking on AIT, monitored in Asaba, Delta State.
Aniagwu said PDP took that decision for Atiku and Okowa believed that political ambitions should not be stained with blood of Nigerians.
Said Aniagwu :
“Is it not preposterous that a Wike who claimed APC had cancer and PDP malaria that was treatable and now turned around to support same Tinubu and APC he once denigrated? That tells you the character of the man he is.
“Atiku has examined the whole scenario playing out in Rivers State, yes he may have enough policemen to secure him, his running mate, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa and indeed some leaders of the party in Rivers, but will it be possible to provide enough security for the massive supporters that would come to the stadium that was approved, cancelled and re-approved?
“So like Jonathan said in 2015 when he said that his ambition is not worth the blood of any Nigerian, the Presidential Candidate of the PDP and his running mate believe that their ambition is not worth the blood of any Nigerian and that they would not want to sacrifice any Nigerian on the altar of wanting to be President.
“We will device means of talking to our brothers and sisters in Rivers because we believe that Rivers state is still largely PDP and that they will vote for Atiku-Okowa and one way or the other we will reach out to them and talk to them but having to organise a rally where anybody will even have to lose his life is not something we would want to undertake.
“As Nigerians, everybody know that the conduct of the Rivers Governor in the whole processes have not demonstrated statesmanship.
“He is a member of our party and we have accorded him the respect we believe he deserves but you know that he has reciprocated that by way of his comments, actions and Nigerians must be weary of this kind of conduct.
“For us our determination is to bring everybody together in this country and Atiku and Okowa are ever determined to do that.
“Atiku and Okowa are ready to carry everybody along when they win including Nyesom Wike irrespective of the attacks and so let no one think that Wike will be in trouble if Atiku wins.
“Wike will not be in any trouble because that is not on the agenda of Atiku. Atiku is ready to recover our country and if Wike has any role to play in helping to get our country function effectively, we will do that,”
The PDP spokesman decried the military tactics of Wike, saying it would be abnormal to describe Wike as a democrate.
He also said that PDP would win in Rivers State despite Wike dictatorial behavior.