The River State Governor, Nyesom Wike, said on Friday night the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, had ordered him to leave Edo State ahead of Saturday governorship election in the state.
The governor, who disclosed this in an interview on Channels Television, added that he demanded an explanation from the IGP on why he should leave the state where his All Progressives Congress (APC) counterparts had been carrying out their assignments without molestation.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had earlier raised the alarm over a “siege” at a hotel where Wike, who is also the chairman of the party’s campaign council for the Edo election, is staying in Benin, the state capital.
In a statement issued by the PDP chairman in Rivers, Akawor Desmond, the party said the Kano State governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, and his Imo State counterpart, Hope Uzodinma, are moving freely in the state while Wike had been prevented from going out.
The statement read: “The attention of the entire people of Rivers State has been drawn to the siege laid at the Hotel where the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, is lodging while on official assignment in Benin, Edo State.
“Recall that Governor Wike was appointed Chairman of the PDP National Campaign Council for the Edo Governorship election; this is the same position Governor Ganduje of Kano State occupies for his party the APC.
“Governor Ganduje and Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State are all in Benin, Edo State, carrying out their assignment for the APC without any molestation or intimidation.
“And in a breach of the pledge they made, security agencies have decided to harass and intimidate Governor Wike who has not done any wrong.
“May I on behalf of entire Rivers people warn that we shall hold the IGP responsible for anything that happens to our governor.”