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Prominent citizens of Akwa Ibom State have continued to raise the alarm and have petitioned the federal government over politically motivated killings ahead of 2015 general election in the state.
The latest petition to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) titled: “Political Brigandage in Akwa Ibom State-the coincidences are too close for comfort,” was from the founding father and permanent member of the Board of Trustee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Don Etiebet.
Etiebet in a-five page petition said the political situation is tensed, culminating in a very terrible security atmosphere. “Everyone seems afraid for their lives, especially those allegedly opposed to the governor’s politics of succession imposition and senatorial ambition.”
The PDP leader recalled how a 67 year old prominent politician, Chief Albert Ukpana, from Ukanafun/Oruk Anam federal constituency was hacked to death in his house in the urban city of Abak local government area, on March 12, 2014, by yet to be arrested persons.
The deceased, he said was known to be against Akpabio’s plan to go to the Senate in 2015 and was the campaign coordinator for Obong Nsima Ekere in his gubernatorial ambition.
He said since he made his position known on the zoning of the governorship ticket to the Eket senatorial district and other resolutions by the state exco of the PDP in the state, all hell had been let loose on him, as faceless writers and others unleashed odious vituperations and abuse on him.
The Board of Trustee member of the PDP said on May 6, when he left the state for Lagos, he was informed that assassins went to kill the Director-General of the Umana Okon Umana gubernatorial campaign organisation, Hon. Soni Udom, but missed him because he was not in the office.
The 63-year-old Udom, Chief Etiebet said, is a seasoned politician in the state having been a council chairman, a federal lawmaker, a few weeks ago the chairman of the Akwa Ibom State Property Investment Company Ltd. (APICO) but was sacked by the government for supporting Obong Umana Okon Umana’s gubernatorial ambition.
“This incidents are setting the whole state on the edge of security breakdown and it is scary. Threats to the lives and property of perceived opponents of the governor’s political interest have turned the once very peaceful state to a very tensed environment where people live in fear.
“I am personally scared and worried because since I differed with some of the resolutions in the communique issued by the State Executive Council (SEC) of the party in the state, I have been branded an enemy of the government with all sorts of people, some faceless, but known to be workers in the government, raining all sorts of abuses on my person,” the said.
Etiebet said the most scary one was on May 4, 2014 when the governor himself used other peoples’ phones to call him to shout at him, saying all kinds of unprintable things that he has allowed himself to be used against him (Governor).
“These close coincidences are the reasons why I am sending this letter to you to keep you abreast with the state of insecurity, political brigandry and threats to human life and property in my state, prelude to the forthcoming party primaries in the state with the sole motive of scaring people away from participating in free, fair and open congresses and primaries,” he stressed.
Etiebet in the petition, accordingly called on the IGP to do everything possible to prevent a breakdown of law and order in the state and to ensure that violence-free party congresses and primaries are held when the time comes.
The petition dated May13 was sent to the president, the PDP national chairman, the Chairman BOT of the PDP, the National Security Adviser (NSA) and the Director General, State Security Service.
