Iniobong Sunday
Ahead of Saturday’s governorship and state Assembly elections, the Integrity Alliance for Good Governance, IAGG, has criticised Akwa Ibom government for allegedly compelling its appointees and royal fathers in the state to deliver PDP candidates.
This follows accusation that traditional rulers and government appointees in the state are under intense pressure to deliver the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, at the forthcoming polls.
Addressing journalists in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom capital on Tuesday, the leader of the group, Comrade Akwaowo Unang, said ‘’the affected royal fathers and government appointees, came to us with the complaints that the traditional institution, which should be insulated from politics was being pressured to indulge and support the PDP candidates.”
“Intense pressure is mounting on political office holders and traditional rulers in Akwa Ibom state to deliver the PDP governorship candidate, Pastor Umo Eno, and candidates for the Assembly elections,” he stressed.
A source, which would not want his name in print explained that political appointees and monarchs have been under the threat of being distooled or sacked, should they failed to deliver Eno other PDP candidates from their various units during the elections on Saturday.
Sources in the Government House, Uyo stated that the governor is not taking anything for granted and has released various sums of money to individuals and groups to execute what they called ‘The Umo Eno Project.’’
The source said, “As a result of the governor’s marching order, some Aides, Commissioners and appointees have gone home to summon meetings with women, youths and traditional rulers where they have threatened to deny them access to government amenities and also sack traditional rulers if they fail to vote unanimously for Umo Eno on elections’ day”.
A royal father who attended the meeting said the tone used to address them was not conciliatory, but was laced with threats of revoking their certificates if they failed to comply with government directives.
He stated that those of them who held contrary opinion based on the mood of the people towards the government were tongue lashed by the convener of the meeting while others were ordered to leave the meeting venue.
“That is the situation we have found ourselves. Someone would choose to come and desecrate the traditional institution because he wants to satisfy his selfish political ambition. We would not allow such thing to happen in this community.
‘‘Everybody has a right to vote for a candidate of his or her choice. I will never force anyone to vote against his or her will. If it means vacating the stool of my forefathers because I stood my ground, so be it,” he said.
The Royal Father called on President Muhammadu Buhari and the Security Agencies to take urgent steps to protect the lives and property of the people on election day to avert a repeat of what happened in some places during the Presidential and National Assembly elections when innocent lives were lost due to the over ambition of selfish politicians.
“We are calling on Mr. President and the security agencies to come to our rescue because of the plan by the state government to do everything possible to hijack the election. Security agents should provide the needed security to enable people come out and cast their votes for candidates of their choices,’’ he pleaded.
He noted that the people of Midim Clan where the traditional rulers were threatened have decided to vote overwhelmingly for the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and the House of Assembly candidate who happens to be a son of the soil, pointing out that they took the decision to support the Buhari led APC administration for siting the Federal College of Medical Laboratory Sciences in the community.
