February 09, (THEWILL) – The Rivers State Government has approved Yakubu Gowon Stadium, Port Harcourt, for the presidential campaign rally of the All Progressives Congress (APC), scheduled for February 15, 2023.
A member of the APC Presidential Campaign Council in the State, Tony Okocha, who confirmed the approval, said the State Government also waived the N5 million statutory payment stipulated by Executive Order 21.
Order 21 prohibits the use of public schools and other government properties for political rallies without approval from the State Government.
Okocha explained that the party, in compliance with the Executive Order, had written to the State requesting for venue and was willing to pay whatever it was worth to have a campaign in the state but got the Governor’s waiver.
However, THEWILL gathered that the State Government had earlier declined the party’s request for the use of Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium.
A letter signed by the Commissioner of Sports, Christopher Green, noted that the request for Amiesimaka was rejected because it is being used by Rivers United Football Club for their Premier League matches and because of renovation works in preparation for the Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) matches venue inspection and accreditation.
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