As tension mounts in Akwa Ibom state ahead of Saturday’s governorship and House of Assembly polls, the state Council of Chiefs have placed curses on politicians planning instigate violence in order to disrupt the election.
The Traditional Rulers unanimously condemned violence in the electoral process ahead of the election.
Arising from an enlarged meeting, Thursday, held at Ibom hall in Uyo, the royal fathers recalled the role played by traditional rulers in the creation of Akwa Ibom state in 1987 warning that, they cannot sit back and watch politicians set the state ablaze for their individual ambition.
The meeting was presided over by his His Royal Majesty (HIM) Edidem Dr Ntoeng Udo Effiong Akpan, Paramount Ruler of Ini local government area who doubles as Chairman Akwa Ibom state Council of Chiefs.
He was represented by the Paramount Ruler of Ikot Abasi local government area, HRM Edidem Udo Joe Ntuk Obom Xll, and attended by Paramount Rulers, clan heads, village heads and other traditional rulers across the state.
The Council emphasized that justice and fairness remains cardinal ingredients for unity and development to prevail and as such politics or personal ambition should not be taken to the extreme or allowed to distort the well-established unity accord in Akwa Ibom State.
The council calls on the Akwa-Ibom state electorate to go out en mass to participate in the Gubernatorial and State House of Assembly elections.
They also urged the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure free, fair, credible, and acceptable elections in the state, while calling on the Police, Army and other security agencies to ensure impartiality in their security support and coverage of the elections.
“We urge the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), to ensure free, fair, credible, transparent and acceptable elections. It also advised the Police, Army and other security agencies to ensure impartiality in their security support and coverage of the elections”, they said.
