A group, Uyo Senatorial District Media Practitioners’ Forum (USDMPF) has urged all the opposition parties in Akwa Ibom State to allow the governorship election tribunal in the state to finish its work and not to bring up any distraction that could cause delay.
This is coming after a fresh launch of investigation into alleged fake WAEC certificate of the governor, Pastor Umo Eno which was earlier ruled by the Supreme Court.
A recent Suit No: FHC/L/CS/1247/2023 instituted by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) through a Motion Ex-Parte had sought document and records of WAEC from Heads of National Office of WAEC and WAEC itself at the Federal High Court in Lagos.
The group in a statement by its chairman, Comrade Ofonime Isong obtained by our correspondent on Tuesday said the entire move was a ploy by the opposition to cajole and intimidate the governor to join the opposition party.
The statement said, “The USDMPF feels that this new antics is nothing short of a gang up against Akwa Ibom State Governor to truncate the mandate willingly and overwhelmingly handed him by Akwa Ibom people, or worse still, adopt the carrot and stick tactics to intimidate him to defect to the ruling APC which remains unacceptable as majority of the people know that PDP is like a Religion in the oil rich State.
“The intimidation of the governor and his constant harassment in the media and the recent Suit at the Federal High Court in Lagos by the Police are all ploys to distract the governor and force him to eat the APC’s humble pie which is bad and callous.
“The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal should be allowed to finish its work.
“While the Police is free to engage in its investigation process, a few questions beg for answers simultaneously in this regard: Why is Akwa Ibom State Post Election case of interest to the IGP to the extent of seeking an Ex-parte Order to compel the WAEC Officials and WAEC itself to avail his investigation Team with examination records of an entire Examination Centre (Victory High School, Ikeja) in Lagos State for the sake of one man?
“Is the IGP taking instructions from the YPP; Mr Akan Okon; Mr Akan Udofia, APC, or the NNPP?” The statement queried.
The group also noted that it suspects that the olive branch extended by the senate president, Senator Godswill Akpabio to Governor Umo Eno at his inauguration which the later publicly accepted could be a poisonous chalice.
