The yet to be substantiated allegation whose source chidi opara reports was unable to unravel at the time of preparing this report, started on Wednesday, 6th July, 2011 at the Liberation Stadium, venue of the festival.
By Friday morning when it became apparent that Rivers state would emerge first and consequently claim the President's twenty million naira for first position, the allegation became strong prompting two "Independent Media Professionals", apparently in the payroll of the Rivers state government to commence frantic shuttles in the news media circle at the venue "to douse the damaging allegation". The two "Independent Media Professionals", a middle aged man and a lady in her early thirties denied the allegation at about 2.15pm yesterday before some news reporters, one of whom is a chidi opara reports network member.
In addition to the 135 gold medals, Rivers state also hauled 29 silver and 85 bronze medals. Delta state came second with 85 gold, 88 silver and 81 bronze medals, while Edo state came third with 46 gold, 41 silver and 43 bronze medals. Delta and Edo states will get fifteen and ten million naira respectively. These are also amounts promised by the President for the second and third positions. Rivers, Delta and Edo are Niger Delta states.
The President represented by the Vice-president, Mr. Namadi Sambo in a colourful ceremony yesterday declared the Games ended with a plea to youths to embrace patriotism.
