Army vaccine scare: Rivers PDP blasts APC for linking Wike to rumours

The Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has noted what it termed the sinister and treacherous effort of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state to link the governor, Barr. Nyesom Wike, to the rumours leading to October 17, 2017 early morning scare that hit majority of primary and secondary schools across the State that the Nigerian Army were to forcefully vaccinate school pupils.

The party in a press statement issued in Port Harcourt, by Mr. Jerry Needam, the Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the Chairman of the party, Chief Felix Obuah said that the accusations against the governor was the tale of an idle person being the devil’s workshop.

The party said: “Ordinarily such a goof and unwitting penchant by the APC to blackmail an innocent and comparatively, a superior being, in the person of Governor Wike in a baseless information of fake Army vaccine that cut across various states of the federation including Ondo, Imo, Abia and Anambra States etc need not be responded to, but for the singular reason to point out the level the APC has degenerated to, and their strong resolve to stop at nothing in causing unnecessary disaffection between the people and the State government so that it can waddle back its predatory regime in the State.

The PDP said it considered it not only baseless but also wicked for the APC, and more so, anybody to be used to add salt to injury in a matter that required our genuine concern to properly inform our people, direct and educate them by countering any misinformation like the rumoured fake army vaccination.

The statement said that rather, the APC preferred to politicize the all important issue so as to curry favour and patronage from the security agencies at the expense of lives that such alleged adventure would earn them.

More alarming, the party said, was the idea of linking the Police, notably, the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) to the whole saga when it was hardly mentioned in the reason for the Tuesday morning vaccine commotion.

“Could this be another way of holding brief for the embattled SARS and its Commander, Akin Fakorede who by their act and conducts have proved beyond every reasonable doubt that they are the military wing of the APC,” the party asked.

“To us, that is bad publicity by Mr. Chris Finebone, APC Rivers State Publicity Secretary and we believe the police high command is taking note of the covert plot of the APC to quicken the eroding public confidence in police due to the actions of SARS in Rivers State.

“As though that is not enough, instead of sympathizing with the parents who were only trying to show concern for their children and wards though based on malicious propaganda by same APC members by joining hands with the Wike administration to douse the tension, preferred to point accusing fingers at our innocent performing State Chief Executive.

“We condemn this treacherous and wanton insensitivity of the APC in the State in its entirety and wish to call on the good people of Rivers State and residents alike, to ignore both the unfounded army vaccination rumour in schools and the rant of the APC, and send back their children to school, but at the same time exercise caution while going about their lawful businesses,” the party said.

The Nigerian Army has also done well to debunk and dismiss the rumour as not only baseless but also unfounded, according to the party.

Amaka Agbu, Port Harcourt