The ruling All Progressives Congress, APC and the opposition People Democratic Party, PDP, over the weekend, allegedly fingered the arrow heads of insecurity in the state and bickered on purported plots by both to deploy same to win the 2019 general elections.
PDP shot the first salvo when the party berated former governor of Akwa-Ibom, Senator Godswill Akpabio over his alleged plots with the APC governorship candidate, Obong Nsima Ekere, to trigger violent crisis in the state, as a strategy to stalemate elections in the state.
The party described such plots as wicked, infantile and cowardly, saying it is unfortunate that Senator Akpabio, who knows that there is no way the APC can win in any election in Akwa-Ibom, is now allowing himself to be used by the APC as an agent of violence, against the state he once governed.
The PDP noted through its spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, that Senator Akpabio is hugely frustrated over his inability to penetrate the political structure of the state, which has rejected him since he crossed over to the APC, but expressed shock that he could lean towards violence against his own people, just to satisfy his paymasters in Abuja, as well as his selfish and egoistic tendencies.
In reaction, All Progressives Congress in a statement signed by Yekini Nabena, its acting National Publicity Secretary fired back and described PDP in Akwa-Ibom as the ‘purveyors of violence,’ saying “Since the issue is security, we may as well expose the PDP and their leaders in Akwa Ibom state for who they are: purveyors of violence.
“We are aware of several petitions in the office of the Inspector-General of Police against the PDP National Legal Adviser, Emmanuel Enoidem, a former Commissioner in Governor Udom Emmanuel’s administration.
“In the petitions, the PDP National Legal Adviser is alleged to have sponsored cultists and militant gangs that have gone out of control in Etim Ekpo, his home Local Government Area and neighbouring Ukanafun.”
On its part, the PDP said “it is also already aware of how Senator Akpabio and the APC mobilized a pack of hack writers to engage in grave propaganda, fabricate and circulate strings of spurious allegations and personal attacks on Governor Udom Emmanuel, just to tarnish his image and make him look immoral and ineffective.”
The party said “it is similarly privy to the pact between Senator Akpabio and the APC leaders, including the APC governorship candidate, Nsima Ekere, to orchestrate strings of security issues, cause tension in the state and set the stage of violence ahead of the elections.
“This is in addition to the plot by the APC to use all opportunity to cause havoc and blame the PDP so as to create an impression of a crisis-soaked state.
“Recently, a former aide of the governor, one Mr. Mfon Udeme, who resigned and decamped to the APC reportedly had robbery attack at his residence. He reportedly called the police and reported the issue only for Senator Akpabio and the APC leadership to organize a press conference in the state to allege that the state government was responsible, claiming an assassination attempt.
“This happened even when the police authority in the state has come out to say that the incident was not an assassination attempt, and that indeed, the said aide had, while he was still an S.A to the governor, been attacked by armed robbers in the same vicinity where he lives.”
According to the party, “It will be recalled that the APC in the state, two weeks ago, had raised similar false claims and wrongly pointed accusing fingers at the PDP Government in the state, when they purported that gun shots were fired into the bedroom of the APC Governorship Candidate, Mr Nsima Ekere, in apparent assassination attempt.
“Before reporting the matter to the security agencies for investigation, Don Etiebet, an APC chieftain, had within minutes of the alleged incident called a press conference and read a long well-written press statement in a manner which made every thinking member of the society wonder whether the alleged gun shots were masterminded by the APC hierarchy as part of their overall false security alarm, as part of the build-up for a planned postponement of elections in Akwa-Ibom state to separate days where they can flood the state with compromised security operatives to terrorize and intimidate the state like they did during Ekiti and Osun states governorship elections.
“The PDP knows that this desperation by Senator Akpabio and APC in Akwa Ibom State is not unconnected with his frustration after hundreds of militant youths in his senatorial zone, who he wanted to use as thugs to rig elections for the APC, have all disarmed, abandoned him and embraced the PDP, having realized the evil plots of the APC.”
“Senator Akpabio knows that Akwa-Ibom is a core PDP state and that no amount of machination by him and the APC can change that fact. Senator Akpabio also knows that he committed a political suicide immediately he crossed over to the APC and as such should learn to contain his frustration instead of this plot to turn the state into a theater of violence for his selfish gain,” it noted.
On the contrary, APC argued that the allegation that the leaders want to forment trouble in the state was a classic case of the aggressor playing the victim to cover up his misdeeds.
Nabena said, “In the face of imminent defeat in the forthcoming 2019 governorship and legislative election in Akwa Ibom State, the PDP has resorted to falsehood and propaganda against APC leaders in the state in its desperation to remain in the reckoning of the Akwa Ibom electorate.
“We view PDP’s wild and unsubstantiated allegations against former governor of Akwa-Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio, Atuekong Don Etiebet and the 2019 APC governorship candidate, Obong Nsima Ekere, as one of the falsehoods and propaganda by the PDP.
“The PDP alleged that the APC chieftains are planning to foment violence in the state in order to ensure the postponement of the forthcoming elections.
“The allegation itself is a classic case of the aggressor playing the victim to cover up his misdeeds.
“The activities of these cultists have resulted in several deaths in the last three years and displaced many families who now live as displaced persons in Iwukem.
“The Governor Udom Emmanuel-led administration has ensured the cover up of the security crisis despite the increasing number of deaths and displacements. This is no longer acceptable.
“The PDP administration in the state must accept its failure to provide security in the state.
“It is silly that the PDP ascribes the current spate of violence to APC when its (APC) members are at the receiving end.
“It is on record that a day after Senator Akpabio joined the APC, his home was attacked by gun-wielding who shot into his compound.
“The numerous cases of politically-motivated attacks against APC supporters, members and leaders in the state are in the public domain and has been well-reported.
“The Akwa Ibom electorate cannot wait for the 2109 General Elections to vote out the incompetent PDP government. The tide has turned in Akwa Ibom State.
“As at today, APC, a party that did not win any councillorship seat in 2015 now has in its fold: two out of three serving senators, many serving members of the House of Representatives, many serving members of the state House of Assembly.
“A majority of political leaders in the state, including Akpabio; immediate-past deputy governor, Noble Lady Valerie Ebe; former petroleum minister, Atuekong Don Etiebet; former secretaries to state government, Obong Umanah Umanah and Etekamba Umoren; many commissioners and aides have joined the APC family with 371,000 registered members and counting.
“It is laughable that the PDP continues to delude itself that Akwa Ibom state is a “core PDP state” and by implication canvassing for the coronation of the incumbent governor.
“The Akwa-Ibom electorate and indeed the political structure have rejected PDP and no amount of falsehood and propaganda can reverse their lost appeal in the state.
“No attempt by the current PDP administration in state to cause crisis and disrupt the 2019 election will be tolerated.
“The PDP has already lost the forthcoming election as a result of the pedestrian performance of the Udom Emmanuel administration.
“The party should face its fate rather than engage in scare mongering,” the statement read.
