By Emeka Samuel
At least two persons were said to have been killed and thirteen vehicles burnt on Friday night in a pre-election crisis that erupted in Obot-Akara Local Government Council of Akwa Ibom.
It was gathered that the affected persons died in a gun duel between some hoodlums and security personnel on election duties at Nto Edino, the headquarters of Obot-Akara, during the distribution of sensitive materials for the botched Presidential and National Assembly elections.
An eye witness who spoke on condition of anonymity said security have been beefed –up in the area as fear and confusion had enveloped the community of Obot-Akara.
“ As we speak two persons have been killed and thirteen vehicles burnt down already in the Local Government headquarters. The crisis started between the security personnel and some thugs when INEC staffs were distributing sensitive materials for the elections” the source said.
The Public Relations Officer of Awa Ibom State Police Command, Odiko Macdon, could not confirm the incident as at the time of sending this report as he could not respond to his numerous calls.
However, the senatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Dr Chris Ekpeyong, attributed the crisis to some All Progressives Congress stalwarts in the local government area who he alleged have been causing crisis in the local council for a long time now.
Ekpeyong, who hailed from Obot-Akara said he was in Uyo monitoring the distribution of the materials when news got to him that there was crisis going in the local government and that two persons have been killed and buses destroyed already.
The PDP senatorial candidate who claimed he knew those who instigated said he had already made a formal complaint to the police authorities to pick them up in order to prevent future occurrence of the crisis.
” We know them and they are the same people who have been causing problem in the locality. I made a formal complaint to the police for those people to be picked up and investigated because last time the same people did the same thing when they were recruiting ad-hoc officers.
“They went ahead to beat up the electoral officer because they wanted to force him to accept their own list for the ad-hoc staff. The matter was reported to the police and nothing was done because they believed they have somebody who is behind them.
“This is the kind of government we have at the centre, they want to take over Akwa Ibom State by force but I have told my people not to take a reprisal attack.
