AKWA IBOM GROUPS WRITE POLICE IG, PDP CHAIRMAN OVER ‘FRIVOLOUS’ PETITIONS ON PDP WARD CONGRESS
Worried by “an increase in deliberate inflammatory remarks on the social media and other media spaces by alleged paid agents of some political gladiators of the PDP,” the Inspector General of Police has been petitioned to caution some political gladiators in Akwa Ibom State.
Similarly, the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Dr Iyorcia Ayu has been urged to ignore frivolous allegations by some politicians who are bent on causing confusion and disharmony in the party.
Two different groups, Akwa Ibom Integrity Alliance and The Mandate Eyes, stated these in separate letters to the Inspector General of Police and the National Chairman of PDP, respectively.
They insisted that widespread accounts and documentary evidences show that the ward congresses in Akwa Ibom were held simultaneously in all the 329 wards of the state, under peaceful and credible atmosphere devoid of rancour, hence the need to discountenance the petitions.
According to Barr Stephen Abia who endorsed the letter to the Police Boss, the petition writers “belong to the class of politicians whose cronies either lost out or who refused to take part in the process to elect the delegates in their respective wards’ centers, obviously running away from imminent failure.”
“Reports across the State attest to the fact that the State congresses of the Peoples Democratic Party held to elect three ad-hoc delegates per ward across Akwa Ibom State last weekend came through peacefully and satisfactorily, heralding positive outings for the party in the forthcoming general elections”.
The Akwa Ibom Integrity Alliance condemned “in strong terms, the wolf cries and macabre dance steps in the media by some politicians,” describing the actions as capable of inciting their supporters against the peace in the State.
“There is a dire need to state that such complaints are unwarranted and adorned with malicious intent to scuttle the hard-earned peace and proper coordination of the political activities in Akwa Ibom State.
Barr Abia in the letter maintained that, “Whoever is rejected by the party will eventually be rejected by the electorate in the general election which would have cost the party credibility.”
“Reports from across the entire State have shown that there were no deployment of violence or election racketeering and the police and other security agents all noted that the congresses took place in a peaceful and credible manner.
“We are sure records at the disposal of the Police, will affirm this. The general calls on other political parties in the State to take a cue from the PDP’s April 30th Ward Congresses in Akwa Ibom, attest to the transparent conduct of the exercise in the State.
While alluding to the phrase, “who born dog” used by Senator Bassey Albert in one of his recent campaigns in the State, the group opined that “The idea of war drums being sounded as precursor to the political season should be discouraged and forestalled. “
To forestall a breakdown of war and order, “these aggrieved politicians who are sounding gongs of war, should be invited and advised that election is never, and should not be seen as a do or die affair”, the group maintained, and added that “anyone who is not a victor now, could definitely be one tomorrow. There is no need to heat up the polity because of selfish desperation.”
On their part, the Mandate Eyes posited that splinter groups hurriedly assembled overnight, were being used as agents of doom to paint an ugly picture that doesn’t exist, about Akwa Ibom State.
“Truth is, the sponsors of this fallacious petition were merely prepared for petitions and protests, and not for elections.
“That is why, in a widely circulated video of award Congress in Senator Bassey Albert’s Ward, Eastern Ibiono Ward 1, the returning officer Mr Okon Essien and members of the party were seen lamenting his absence from the Congress.
“We in the Mandate Eyes wish to state categorically that Governor Udom Emmanuel has not breached any section of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Rather what the Governor has done, in consonance with his political and economic inclusion agendum, is opening of the political space to encourage competition and deepening the process of democratic consolidation.
“These purveyors of falsehood should henceforth refrain from making unsubstantiated statements capable of threatening the peace currently being enjoyed in the state.
“They should see reasons to embrace truth and peace that have characterized the state from 2015- the inception of Governor Udom Emmanuel’s administration.”
