Three persons have been reported dead in Ini Local Council of Akwa Ibom as groups loyal to rival aspirants clashed during the State Assembly and House of Representatives primaries in the area.
This is even as Governor Udom Emmanuel has promised that the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) would soon constitute a reconciliation panel to assuage aggrieved members of the party.
Police sources from the Ini Divisional Police Headquarters confinded in newsmen that thugs loyal to one of the aspirants killed someone from the rival camp and the opposing camp retaliated with two.
But the spokesman for Akwa Ibom State Police Command, Superintendent Odiko Macdon could not confirm the incident as he could not pick his calls from newsmen
Governor Emmanuel had told correspondents at his residence in ONNA Local Council after the State Assembly and House of Representatives primaries conducted across 26 state constituencies in the state.
The Governor maintained that no two elections are the same adding that all aggrieved aspirants who are not comfortable with the conduct of the primary election as stipulated by law would be pacified.
He observed that the amended Electoral Act has disqualified him from voting and urged the aspirants to accept the result of the primaries in good faith .
“Today I decided to obey the rules of the electoral act, that disqualified me from being a delegate, I refused to go nearer to the venue.I have come to understand that what ever comes our way is the act of God, we can’t blame anyone.
“Akwa Ibom is PDP and PDP is Akwa Ibom, I hope to immidiately set up a reconciliation committee for those of us feeling agrieved that probably the process today did not favour them, it’s an act of God and there’s nothing anyone can do about it. But then the committee will try to reconcile usnso can remain united.” He said.
Meanwhile , one of the aspirants for Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District Akparawa Ephraim Inyangeyen said that a group of aspirants in the state has decided to pull out of the primaries because of the pending court issues arising from the last Adhoc delegates election in the state.
Inyangeyen told journalists that said the exercise conducted by PDP in the state was illegal and cannot be considered as a democratic exercise.
” We approached the court and injunction was granted against conduct of the exercise in the state. Because of the court order, I remained in my house today. I don’t mind what they are doing today . I am a law abiding citizen.
“Whatever they are doing today , we would challenge it in court. So we have asked our supporters to shun the primaries because it is conducted on illegality.” He said
He warned that the All Progressive Congress Party(APC) would take over the state if the PDP would not adhere to electoral laws.
