Udom Emmanuel campaign council denies blocking Atiku from Akwa Ibom delegates

Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Ini Ememobong, has described the news making the rounds that Governor Udom Emmanuel stopped a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, from consulting PDP delegates from the state as false.

This is contained in a statement titled: “Re: 2023 Presidential Shocker: Udom Blocks Atiku from Consulting Akwa Ibom Delegates.”

He said: “The news item with the above heading surfaced on the media space, alleging that Gov. Udom Emmanuel barred Alhaji Atiku Abubakar from meeting with delegates from Akwa Ibom State.

“It also went on to make a lot of spurious allegations, laced with foul and profane language. Nothing can be farther from the truth than this. The said news is totally incompatible with the known accommodating disposition of Gov. Emmanuel

“The truth is that the governor, who has been in communication and contact with all other presidential aspirants (Atiku Abubakar inclusive), was informed that the former Vice President would be visiting on Monday, May 16 (today) to meet with delegates and thereafter see him (Gov. Emmanuel) by 4 pm, a proposal that was unhesitatingly accepted.”

The statement was described as pure mischief insinuating that the governor prevented Abubakar from meeting the delegates, stressing that other presidential aspirants had visited the party in Akwa Ibom without a hitch.

“We urge the entire public to discountenance the fake news and treat it as an act of mischief of the highest order.

“Our delegates and team are waiting to receive the aspirant on the agreed date and time,” he said.

Contacted, the spokesperson for the Udom Emmanuel Presidential Campaign Council, Mr. Bola Bolawole, confirmed the statement from Ememobong, adding that Emmanuel is an advocate of politics without bitterness.

“Check his antecedents. Emmanuel focuses on issues. Critical issues like the economy, which is the fulcrum of presidential contests in the advanced democracies, are what Emmanuel is bothered about, not personal attacks,” he said.