By Ogenyi Ogenyi,Uyo
A group in Akwa Ibom, Uyo Senatorial District Media Practitioners’ Forum(USDMPF) has warned against what it termed ‘incessant and disturbing’ attack and harassment by all the opposition parties in State against the governor, Pastor Umo Eno.
This is coming after a fresh launch of investigation into alleged fake WAEC certificate of the governor, Pastor Umo Eno at the Federal High court Lagos 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 signed by its chairman, Comrade Ofonime Isong and obtained by our correspondent in Uyo on Wednesday said all the move was just a ploy by the opposition to cajole and intimidate the governor to join the opposition party so as to have access and plunder the state treasury.
He said that the governor needed concentration now to work, not unnecessary distractions continuously fuelled by the oppositions even as stressed that the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal should be allowed to finish its work.
Isong, however called on Akwa Ibomites to defend their governor and not allow the oppositions steal the mandate which they unanimously and overwhelmingly gave him at the elections.
According to the statement, “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 ploy to distract the governor and force him to eat the APC’s humble pie which is bad and callous.
“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 ultimate aim is to have access to Akwa Ibom State Treasury by all means and at all costs.
“However, USDMPF is worried by the unending legal battles and landmines plotted by the opposition elements to distract the progress of Akwa Ibom State’s Golden Era meant to herald more Peace, Security, Wealth and Prosperity for the people.
“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 Obong Bassey Albert a k.a. OBA of the YPP; Mr Akan Okon; Mr Akan Udofia who wandered into the APC at the eleventh hour and became its controversial governorship candidate, or Senator John James Akpanudoedehe of the NNPP?
“The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal should be allowed to finish its work.
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.
