The Akwa Ibom state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has dared the All Progressives Congress (APC) to challenge its victory at the polls at the tribunal, saying it has enough evidence to rubbish the opposition party. Esseh Ikora writes.
Let’s meet at the tribunal
The Peoples Democratic Party Akwa Ibom state chapter is optimistic has not only beaten the main opposition party the APC at the polls in the state but would do so even at the election tribunal. Accordingly, the party said it is ready to meet the All Progressives Congress at the election tribunal if they are not convinced of their defeat in the last governorship and state assembly elections.
The party, which attributed the massive failure of the All Progressives Congress in all the elections conducted by INEC in the state to the failure of the party to prepare for elections, alleged that the APC lacked the structure to win any election in the state.
“The APC did not work hard to win elections. Their lack of the right calibre of persons and structure cost them elections. They over relied on federal might without soliciting for votes from the electorates.”
Failed federal might
The PDP maintained that while its supporters were busy canvassing for votes and preparing adequately for the elections, the APC devoted its effort in plotting the use of federal might, hiring of armed thugs and militants to unleash mayhem on the innocent electorate.
The party also accused the APC of working hard to rubbish the INEC officials instead of actually canvassing for votes. “All the APC officials did were throwing up unsubstantiated accusations at the INEC officials and plotting to unleash mayhem on them.”
Mandate theft
Reacting to the accusation of mandate theft by the leadership of All Progressives Congress during their press briefing in Uyo on Tuesday, the PDP through its state spokes person, Comrade Ini Ememobong dismissed it in an address entitled: “When Losers Tell Lies” it said PDP is ready to confront the APC with fact and evidences at the tribunal.
The statement reads in part, “the entire world, we are sure, was shocked yesterday (Tuesday )by the press statement issued by the state chairman of the APC, Ini Okopido and the subsequent press conference hosted by the duo of Obong Nsima Ekere and Senator Godswill Akpabio alleging that they won in 26 local government areas of the state. This is surely the best example of the proverbial living in fool’s paradise.
“For the avoidance of doubt, we must state that the APC lost in all the local government areas including Essien Udim and Ikot Abasi local government areas. In Essien Udim, materials in Ekpeyong ward were hijacked by APC agents at the voting units in Independence High School. Thugs and policemen sympathetic to Senator Akpabio mounted the school gates and prevented the PDP supporters from gaining access to the venue.
“The thugs further unleashed unmitigated physical attack on journalists and observers, Demola, the TVC correspondent, who was there to cover the elections was severely beaten up and chased away.
“In Ukana East, the personal assistant to Senator Akpabio, Emmanuel Inyangetoh accompanied by over 49 police officers and 60 thugs, went unit to unit packing electoral materials which were taken to Independence High School, where thumb printing was recklessly done.
Akpabio kept INEC office under siege
“As if that was not enough, the INEC office in Essien Udim was kept under siege by Chief Godswill Akpabio, who physically assaulted the electoral officer and threatened the collation officer to do his bidding. He filled the result sheets with his hand and forced the presiding officers to sign.
“These facts are alive and at the tribunal, we will avail the court. The entire world noted the delay with which it took for Essien Udim to collate and transmit results, all because of Senator Akpabio’s unwholesome interference.
“In Ikot Abasi local government area, APC thugs were on rampage carting away electoral materials and taking them to Ekere’s residence, where thumb printing was done. Even in Nsima Ekere’s unit, pictorial evidence abound to show armed soldiers arranging the voting queue to ensure that PDP supporters did not vote. In units 2, 6 and other units in ward 7 thugs led by Ernest Ntuk hijacked ballot boxes and electoral personnel, delivering them at the residence of Ekere.
“In Ikono LGA, Edidiong Idiong, who was the federal constituency candidate of the APC, went in company of armed policemen and thugs to shoot and hijack ballot boxes and result sheets. Senator Aloysuis Etok took some thugs to his village to harass voters, but met a stiff resistance from the villagers”, the party said.
Honourables met his match
Also on activities at Uruan LGA, the party said the duo of honourables Bassey Etim and Kufre Etuk unleashed mayhem on anybody opposing their possession of electoral materials. Barr. Raymond Umoiyak, according to the report is currently hospitalized because of wounds sustained from shooting done by thugs brought by Kufre Etuk.
“In Ini, an APC chieftain, Goddy Udoudo (aka mentor), who was accompanied by thugs hijacked and destroyed electoral materials. He was arrested with a pistol and taken to the police headquarters at Odoro Ikpe.
“In Uyo, Prof Chris Ekong, Perry Ntuk and other APC chieftains, disrupted elections, carried away materials or chased away members of other parties from the polling units.
“In Mbo, Victor Antia is reported to have cruised around the entire Oro nation with soldiers and policemen, hijacking materials.
“In Etim Ekpo local government area, evidence abound to the fact Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Ekon and DIG Ekpoudom (Rtd)were in a competition for the best material hijacker and rigger. While Ekpoudom took materials for ward 5, Ekon took materials for wards 9,10 and 11 to his house in Iwukem, thereby claiming the price.”
Use of ‘military’
The PDP said their opponent had plotted to cloth thugs in military uniforms and posted to local government areas to hijack materials and rig for them.
“As a part of the plan, the APC had printed ballot papers which they gave to Bishop Samuel Akpan to organize the thumb printing session. Bishop Akpan ferried the materials to a location in Calabar, Cross River state, where he employed people to do the thumb printing.
“To clear the issue of card readers, Obong Nsima Ekere held a meeting with RATECHs and paid them 1,000 USD each at a location in D Line Ewet Housing Estate beside Tender Heart schools.
“At the payment point were Kufre Etuk, Idongesit Ituen and Uyo Nathaniel. On Wednesday night, Obong Nsima Ekere met with returning and collation officers coordinated by Associate Professor Valerie Solomon of the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Uyo.
Monetisation of exercise
“At the meeting, held at the residence of Obong Umana Okon Umana, Nsima Ekere promised to pay all ward collation officers N1 million each, while local government collation and returning officers were to collect N3 million each. He completely monitised the entire process, thinking in like manner like his boss, who thinks that what money cannot do, more money can do.
“The news of this uncommon bribery filtered out and may have been the reason why the collation and returning officers were changed. That is one of the new reasons why Senator Akpabio and Nsima Ekere are angry with Mike Igini for changing collation and returning officers.
“We had notified the world that Nsima Ekere was in talks with militants in a bid to terrorize the elections. Evidence surfaced days ago in the leaked audio tape where he is heard negotiation with militants to secure their services for the elections.
“He offered 25m for 20 hilux vehicles, men and tools which were referred to as walking sticks and GP meaning AK 47 riffles and General Purpose Machine Guns. In that conversation, they were heard plotting to bomb the vehicle of the Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC, in a bid to scare him”, the statement said.
