The former governor of Akwa Ibom state, Godswill Akpabio has been accused of causing violence and terror during the Saturday’s governorship and House of Assembly elections in the state.
The allegation was raised against Akpabio by over 500 stakeholders, political leaders and party executives from the Senator’s local government.
The stakeholders were led by Senator Akpabio’s cousin, Ukpong Akpabio, in a world press conference held at the NUJ secretariat Uyo on Thursday.
He alleged that the former minority leader in the Senate orchestrated the militarization of the electoral process seen in the area.
A statement released by the stakeholders and leaders and read by Barr Imo-Owo Okpokpo reads;
“Essien Udim people condemned in strong terms the various electoral offences and irregularities masterminded and perpetrated by Senator Godswill Akpabio and his cohorts in which almost all the election process in the area was marred by unlawful militarization, rigging and assault on INEC electoral officers.”
“Among the atrocities committed by Senator Godswill Akpabio include carting away of electoral materials and INEC ad hoc staff in all the units of the 11 wards in the area, with the help of military men with armoured vehicles to the residence of Barr Ibanga Akpabio.”
They accused one Supol Idorenyin Akpabio of SARS in the company of other policemen shot at people indiscriminately, detained and maimed PDP supporters on the directives of Sen Akpabio.
They further claimed that “Senator Godswill Akpabio with his cohorts apart from assaulting INEC staff also beat and machete some PDP faithful to the point of unconsciousness”.
The stakeholders stated that polling units where elections were not properly conducted, PDP won overwhelmingly and they have their result sheets intact describing any other result as fake and does not speak the mind of the people of Essien udim local government area.
They rejected the results published by INEC in the state and also condemned the cancellation of results in nine wards in the council area.
The people of the local government advised Senator Akpabio to desist from further advertising of “his declining and dwindling political status through various press interviews as such will continue to deepen his failing image. We have totally rejected him as a people”.
They commiserated with the Corps members and other INEC staff who lost valuable items as a result of the alleged mayhem “perpetrated by Senator Godswill Akpabio,”.
They stated that Akpabio is still planning to kill some PDP stakeholders even as the elections are over.
They restated their hope on INEC’s capacity to correct as well as address the election anomalies with her avowed commitment to conduct free, fair and credible elections in the country.
Senator Akpabio during a press conference had alleged that the violence in the local government was perpetrated by members of PDP.
He stated that APC won overwhelmingly in his local government and other local governments but the INEC in collusion with the PDP-led state government upturned the results against his party, APC.
Akpabio said he has facts and evidence to back his claims at the tribunal when the time comes.
source https://www.naijanews.com/2019/03/14/akpabios-cousin-accuses-him-of-causing-violence-in-akwa-ibom-state/
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