No fewer than 16 supporters of the various candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the South-South zone were reported dead on Saturday due to stampede at the Liberation Stadium, Elekahia, venue of the presidential rally for April election in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital. 

Two persons reportedly lost their lives in an accident involving the presidential convoy along the Port Harcourt-Aba road. 

At least 25 persons, mostly women were also injured in the stampede.

As soon as the flags were given to the respective governors from the various states–Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom), Timipre Sylva (Bayelsa), Liyel Imoke (Cross River), Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta) and Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers)– security operatives could not contend with the mammoth crowd who struggled to leave the narrow Liberation station gates in ecstasy. 

It was at that point that people trampled on one another, leading to the alleged suffocation of over 20 persons, mostly women who had come to show support to the President Goodluck Jonathan/ Sambo Campaign Organisation. 

Meanwhile, a Prado Jeep in the convoy of the president with Bayelsa registration number AX 176 KMK heading for the stadium rammed into a stationary truck along Aba road, killing two of its occupants on the spot, while several others were injured. 

An eye witness who did not want his name in print said the jeep had veered off the road and ran into the truck. 

The Rivers State government has described the incident as unfortunate, saying it was due to a stampede and poor crowd control measures. 

Mr. Blessing Wikina, Press Secretary to Governor Rotimi Amaechi said the governor immediately mobilised its medical services to take care of those injured. 

Wikina said: “The incident is regrettable, including the accident that happened at Aba road. As I speak to you ambulances are still going there to take care of those who are injured.” 

However, while confirming the incident, the Rivers State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Rita Inoma-Abbey could not say the exact casualty figure. 

Inoma-Abbey, a Superintendent of Police (SP) said: “At about 14:50 hours at the liberation stadium, Elekahia during the presidential campaign flag off for the South-South zone, lots of jubilant supporters were exiting the main gate that their governors had been given the PDP flag. Those coming in were pushing their way out. In the ensuing stampede, so many people fell down. 

“The police mounted troops, Police Mobile Force (PMF) and other security agents contained the push by closing the main gate to rescue the victims. Some were taken to clinic with police ambulance. 

“Some to Teme Clinic and Braithwaite Memorial Hospital (BMH) for treatment. Identities of casualties and number of death are unknown.” 

President Goodluck Jonathan has directed a full scale investigation into the cause of the stampede.

An Aso Rock statement signed by presidential spokesman, Ima Niboro, said Jonathan received the news with shock and sadness.

“The president mourns with the families of the deceased, and prays the Almighty to grant repose to their souls. 

“President Jonathan notes with a heavy heart, that these are persons who came to celebrate his success at the primaries of the PDP, and wish him well in the coming elections,” said the statement.

It quoted the president as having said that: “I am sad, and heavily weighed down by this incident. It is sad, unfortunate and regrettable.

“I mourn with those who mourn tonight. May God grant us all the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss.”

The President has therefore put off the inauguration of the new Goodluck/Sambo Campaign Council biled for Saturday.

Regardless, the PDP has clarified the issue of flag presentation to party candidates at rallies, saying that receipt of the flag does not mean the receiver of the flag is the authentic candidate who will represent the party at the poll.

The party made the clarification in view of condemnation that greeted its presentation of party flag to candidates whose candidature are under suspension by court injunctions.

PDP National Legal Adviser, Olusola Oke who made the clarification on Saturday said that the party should not be condemned as a group of people who have no respect for the court, insisting that the presentation of flags to party members who have one case or the other hanging down their necks is mere political show-off.

Oke insisted that it is the nomination of the party candidate which it sent to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on January 31 that determines who is the party’s genuine candidate and not who carries the flag at campaign grounds.

The duo of Governor Sullivan Chime and Theodore Orji of Enugu and Abia States respectively, were presented with party flag on Friday at the South-East zone presidential rally held in Enugu against court pronouncement that the men should not yet be recognised as PDP candidate in the 2011 elections.

“Handing over the flag are ceremonial, they aren’t part of the orders of court, they are just internal affairs of the party. The flag of the party doesn’t make you a candidate; what makes you a candidate is the nomination which has been completed since the 31st January, 2011. So, we can decide to give you our flag, nobody can restrain us from giving our flag, it isn’t government property. There are one million flags there which anybody can take.”

Oke maintained that it is erroneous to accuse the party of breaching or ignoring court orders by doling out flags to some candidates who are already restrained from parading themselves as candidates of the party saying that the campaign train is not even aware of most of the court orders.

“Well, let me confess to you that I haven’t been part of these campaigns, since the South West one that I attended and I have lost touch completely with members of the PDP National Working Committee. If you go to our secretariat now you find out that it is desolate. So, I have not been privileged to actually brief them on the happenings on the various suits in court.

“For instance the one that was issued on Thursday even till now I haven’t received the enrolment of order from the court. Normally, but for these campaigns that our people are attending, at NWC meetings I brief members on developments in courts, but I haven’t been able to really make contacts. If anything has been done, which I am not personally aware, it must have been done out of the fact that they don’t have the correct facts of the developments in court. In other words, our party believes in the rule of law.”

He said the party had no reason to disobey court orders as issued by the court saying that the current orders are temporary orders and expressed confidence that most of the restraining orders will soon be lifted.

“We have no reason to disparage or be defiant to any court order, because we believe most of these orders that have been issued, they are temporary measures. On the ultimate, we are very strong on our position that the candidates we have nominated are all validly nominated. We believe that the courts would also see our points of view.

“So, ordinarily, if anything has been done in that regard it must be done out of the fact that they don’t have proper briefing. You know those who have been involved in the campaigns—you know they have been going on daily basis and they haven’t been reverting to bases. They haven’t been making contact and I haven’t been able to contact them; they have all been on the field for a week now.

“I am aware, I wouldn’t do that. But those that have been involved in the campaigns, I want to assume that they aren’t aware of the development in court.”

Asked why he didn’t reach them on phone, he responded in the affirmative that he can reach them on phone but the PDP has its ownmodus operandi in the running of affairs of the party.

Popular comedian, Francis Agoda (I go dye) has the intervention of veteran comedian, Ali Baba to thank for saving his life on Tuesday as military men on guard at the Warri township stadium venue of Uduaghan re-run campaign almost beat life out of him and his compatriot, Ogus Baba. According to an eyewitness, the incident occurred when the two comedians allegedly attempted to force their way past the stern-looking soldiers into the stadium. The source added that the security men, who did not care about their identity, ordered them to retreat or be dealt with.

Before the two entertainers could make up their minds to withdraw from the gate, the soldiers descended on them. It took the timely intervention of Ali Baba, (who threatened to stop the show) for ‘I go dye’ to be released by his tormentors. By then, he was already reeling in agony, with blood all over him from the slashes of the horsewhips. The other comedian, Ogus Baba, who showed some bravery by attempting to save his fellow comedian from the horsewhips of the angry soldiers, was not spared either as he also got his share of the flogging. He was said to have been so badly battered that he had to be rushed to an undisclosed clinic for treatment.

Also touched by the brutality of the soldiers was a personal aide of ‘I go dye’ whose name could not be identified, and another popular comedian, ‘I Go Save’, who got some bruises on his arms and legs.

Paid to perform

In a telephone conversation, the Warri-born comedian, Mr Agoda said he came to the stadium with his entourage with the intention of performing on the stage as he had been paid by the organisers of the event.

“On getting into the stadium, I was accosted by one of the soldiers and in an attempt to answer him, the other soldier unexpectedly slapped me from behind. The most annoying thing about the whole incident was that when I tried to explain to their superior officer, a colonel, the former soldier shoved me aside and immediately, other soldiers descended on me, beating the living daylight out of me,” Mr Agoda said.

He was later treated by the medical team at the stadium after being rescued from the soldiers by Ali Baba, who condemned the act of the uniformed men...

Mr Agoda has demanded for a public apology from the military for violating his “fundamental human right.” “This must be published in national newspapers,” he said.