Victim of APC guber primaries in Akwa Ibom
Allegations
of killings have marred the All progressives Congress, APC
governorship primary in Akwa Ibom State.
In
Uruan, gunmen suspected to be working for the Managing Director of
Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Mr. Nsima Ekere,
while trying to hijack materials for the governorship primary, killed
an APC faithful, Ukeme Efanga.
Efanga,
was shot at point blanck range as he was trying to resist the hijack
of these materials. This sad news was broken by an APC chieftain and
senatorial hopeful, Hon. KufreAbasi Etuk on his Facebook timeline.
In
Ikot Ekpene, materials for the Governorship primaries meant for the
area were diverted to an unknown destination.
According
to Hon. Patty Etette, former federal lawmaker and an APC chieftain,
"the location of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Ikot
Ekpene Division who took over the materials from the APC State
Secretariat is unknown as at the time of sending this report".
"Materials
for Ikot Ekpene , Essien Udim and Obot Akara for APC gubernatorial
primaries for Akwa ibom state hijacked by suspected militants at gun
point", he added.
Etette
accused the Police of connivance, saying "APC elders and
adherents are incidenting the alleged theft and PDP hijacking old
habits that our new comers so called have reintroduced to APC at the
Ikot Ekpene Police Area Command and the Divisional Police Office".
"We
thought that as they where coming into our party they had promised to
turn a new leaf? Who are they really afraid of? You go about
deceiving hapless National Officers that you are on ground and have
all APC members, including a non existent membership force which are
supposed to have defected from the PDP to APC so why still hijack
electoral materials for a mere party congress? What about the main
ELECTIONS where we have to face PDP? you still want Hijack?" He
queried.
He
posted on his Facebook timeline the pictures of stranded supporters,
who turned up at the Ikot Ekpene Police Division, but saw no sign of
materials.
In
Uyo, the state capital, a supporter of Senator J. J. Udoedeghe, one
Emmanuel Asuquo, was shot dead following sporadic gunshots by
armed thugs escorted by security agents along Ikot Ekpene Road, close
to state secretariat of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
The
unfortunate incident occurred as agents and supporters of
gubernatorial aspirants resist attempts by armed thugs and party
officials to divert sensitive materials meant for the governorship
primary in parts of Eket and Uyo senatorial districts.
According
an eye witness, there was a heated argument between agents and
supporters of gubernatorial aspirants of APC and some armed men
escorting party officials and sensitive materials from the party
Secretariat.
"Trouble
started when agents of Mr. Nsima Ekere were allowed to enter the
convoy escorted by Police while other agents were ordered not
to follow. This directive was vehemently rejected as supporters of
other aspirants raised alarm, accusing party officials and the Police
of plotting to divert sensitive materials.
"Tempers
were running high from the ensuing argument as agents and supporters
of the former senator blocked the road, asking the Police to either
accept agents of other aspirants to join the convoy or ask Nsima
Ekere's agents to step down".
It
was revealed that at this point, one of the armed thugs began
making calls after which he spoke to his colleagues. Immediately,
they began cocking their guns threateningly while the policemen
looked on. This seems to infuriate the youths the more.
"One
of the agents attempted to force open the door of one of the cars
when the leader of the armed gang opened fire and others started
shooting sporadically", she stated.
In
a related development, a group of armed thugs led by Professor Chris
Ekong, stormed Afaha Offot primary school, Abak Road to hijack
materials. This is part of the network of deadly squads mobilized
across the state and sponsored by the Managing Director of
NDDC, Nsima Ekere to ensure his emergence.
It
was gathered that strategy for hijacking materials for the primary,
using armed thugs became a last resort for Ekere's group when it was
clear that he would not be accepted as a consensus candidate. The
decision was taken in a meeting, Saturday night at Sen. Godswill
Akpabio's residence in Ukana, where Ekere directed his Special
Assistant on Security Matters, Mr. Uyio Nathaniel, to mobilize thugs
ahead of the primary.
On
Sunday, at the state APC Secretariat, some of the thugs were seen
wearing bullet proof vest and mingling freely with police officers. A
party chieftain confided in this reporter that the primary had
already been rigged to favour Ekere.
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