By Amos Dunia, Persecond News
Abuja – The struggle for the political soul of Akwa Ibom State has taken a new dimension as th Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris has stepped in by inviting Governor Udom Emmanuel Campaign Coordinators to the to Abuja over a petition by the All Progressive Congress Chairman in the State, Mr. Ini Okopido.
Okopido is believed to have petitioned President Muhammadu Buhari, who accordingly was minuted to his Chief of Staff Alhaji Abba Kyari, who accordingly directed the IGP to take immediate action and investigate.
It was gathered the APC accused the PDP of various misdemeanour that borders on destruction of Buhari’s Presidential campaign billboards in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, a charge the PDP and the state commissioner for Environment denied with clarification.
It was further gathered that the general plank for the invitation, according to the police, revolved around instigation to cause violence.
Curiously, all the persons invited by the Inspector General of Police are key officers of Governor Udom Emmanuel Devine Mandate Organisation, the vehicle for Udom’s 2019 reelection.
On the invited list by the IGP Idris is the Chairman of Divine Mandate, Air Commodore Idongesit Nkanga, a retired Nigerian Air Force personnel, who was former head of the Presidential Air Fleet as well as former military Administrator of Akwa Ibom State and the state chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Paul Ekpo.
The list also include the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon Onofiok Luke, commissioner for Environment Dr. Iniobong Essien, the Senior Special Assistant to the governor on Security, Mr. Fubara Duke, the Chairman of Uyo Local Government Council and the Chairman of the Uyo Market Association.
Speaking on telephone shortly before they boarded a plane in Uyo, one of the IGP’s invitees, who crave anonymity said; “A security agency established by law has invited us, we have to honour it. We obey laws here.
“It started with the billboard issue and the IGP sent a team from Abuja that investigated and even detained the Commissioner for Environment for no just cause. Is this their concept of intimidating and taking over Akwa Ibom State that they have been orchestrating and boasting about? Acceptability is at the polls. Let’s go there. We are ready.”
The top government official further said that the APC conducted their governorship primaries in this State during which three persons were killed, there were no petitions, no investigations, no arrest, no prosecution.
In his words; “As a fallout from the primaries, a police station was burnt in Okobo Local Government Area, and other sundry but weighty infractions, yet the police looked at the left and ignored the incidences at the right even with photo evidence and outcries.”
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