By Ogenyi Ogenyi,Uyo
A socio political group, Peace Maintenance Initiative (PMI) has expressed deep concern over the growing protests in Akwa Ibom on the heels of the recent enactment of a new law for the traditional institution in the state.
Recall that the Bill which birthed a new Supreme Council of Akwa Ibom Traditional rulers with the Okuibom Ibibio Nteyin Solomon Etuk as the President -General for life and assented to by Governor Umo Éno has been generating controversy with some other ethnic groups opposing the Law.
Addressing journalists yesterday in Uyo, National Coordinator of PMI, Comrade Joseph Ukpong who regretted that most of the youths are reacting out of ignorance revealed that some politicians are behind the protests and the ongoing senseless insults from some unscrupulous youths to the government and senior citizens with an agenda to “cripple the government”
According to Ukpong, “PMI stumbled on very frightening leaked WhatsApp messages indicating how funds and other pecuniary benefits will be distributed to youths who are willing and ready to disrupt the peace and stability we currently enjoy in the state in the name of protesting the amended law.
“We also have it on good authority that there are on going mass mobilisation of youth groups in Annang land, Oro nation and Obollo people of Eastern Obollo to embark on serial and sustained protest until government capsizes, they also vow to oppose every policy of the incumbent administration if they succeed in this endeavor.
“Howrver we are advising the politicians and ethnic warlords to immediately drop the evil agenda and asked the brainwashed youths to immediately beat a retreat.We have all thier names and we are ever ready to expose them to the world to see those bent on derailing the peace we laboured to achieve in the state.
“We are using the opportunity of the press conference to inform them that all they plot in the dark are now in the open, Akwa ibom people deserves more than unnecessary heating up of the polity which if left uncontrolled may snowball into crisis.
“While we advise those with geninue reason to explore constitutional means towards finding solace, we warn that we will cooperate fully with law enforcement agencies to identify and possibly prosecute those who plots to set the state on fire for thier self aggrandizement.”
The Annang Youths Forum, among others from Oro nation, Obollos and Ibenos had opposed the Bill because the law seeks to grant perpetual leadership of the Traditional Rulers Council to the Oku Ibom Ibibio, disregarding the longstanding rotational provision among all paramount rulers in the state.
The various groups mainly populated by youths have embarked on street protests while launching relentless verbal attacks and insults in the social media on the government and prominent citizens of the state.
