The deceased, said to be mostly supporters of the a variety of candidates of the PDP in the South-South zone were even as two persons also reportedly lost their lives in an auto-accident with the presidential fleet in a Prado Jeep with Bayelsa registration number AX 176 KMK along the Port Harcourt-Aba road.
More than 35 party supporters, including women sustained various degrees of injuries following the unprecedented rush that greeted the presidential rally.
A PDP chieftain, who spoke on grounds of anonymity pointed out that the rush was due to the fact that the South South geo political zone is home of the PDP presidential candidate, President Goodluck Jonathan.
An eye witness account says, “The stampede was caused by the horde of people who thronged the Liberation Stadium and trying with great effort to leave after flags were handed to individual governors from the various states.
“The sight was terrible as you could see people trampling on one another and subsequent suffocation of many elderly men and women who had come to show support to the President Goodluck Jonathan/ Sambo Campaign Organisation.
Although, the Rivers State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Superintendent Rita Inoma-Abbey confirmed the incident, she could not state the casualty figure.
“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 Teme Clinic and Braithwaite Memorial Hospital (BMH) with police ambulance. Identities of casualties and number of death are still unknown.”
Just as Presidency investigates the cause of the stampede, President Jonathan, in a statement signed by Ima Niboro, said, “The President received the news with shock and sadness. He mourns with the families of the deceased, and prays the Almighty to grant repose to their souls.
The President however shelved the inauguration of the new Goodluck/Sambo Campaign Council billed for Saturday.
“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.
“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 is quoted to have grieved.
Also, the Rivers State government, through the Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Blessing Wikina, said the incident was regrettable, and adding that the stampede was due to poor crowd control measures.
“As soon as the incidents were reported, the governor immediately mobilised its medical services to take care of those injured.
Recall that Governors from the South South geo-political zones were handed party flags as governorship candidates in the April general elections. The governorship flag-bearers are Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom), Timipre Sylva (Bayelsa), Liyel Imoke (Cross River), Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta) and Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers).
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