Akwa Ibom speaker warns APC against intimidation

Speaker, Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Mr. Onofiok Luke, has warned the All Progressives Congress (APC) against using federal institutions to intimidate the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

This followed his invitation for questioning in Abuja, by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, alongside members of the Divine Mandate Organisation (DMO), working for the re-election of Governor Udom Emmanuel.Those invited include the director-general of DMO, Idongesit Nkanga; and the commissioner for the environment.

Luke urged the opposition not to hide under any guise to create tension in the state, stressing that the APC should not be afraid of competition, “if it is actually popular.”

The speaker disclosed that their invitation followed a petition against them by the chairman of APC in the state, Mr. Ini Okopido.He said: “No one can use the office of the president under the guise of politics to intimidate us; not even the state security agencies. This is my message for Akwa Ibom people and the teeming supporters of the PDP. We told the state chapter of APC to their faces that “if you are popular, stop using the state security apparatus to try to intimidate us.”

He declared that the more they try to intimidate the party, the more resolved they would be to defend the mandate of Governor Emmanuel.“And we told them, if you are popular, come back home to Akwa Ibom and campaign. Don’t behave like children who go outside to start a fight and then run to their father. If you are popular, come back home to campaign. Don’t make the state to look like, all we have are petition writers.”

He expressed concern at the speed the petition, which was addressed to President Muhammadu Buhari, was referred to the IGP for investigation.
The speaker said that the petitioner had lied that he threatened not to allow candidates of the opposition party to campaign freely and openly in the state.

He added that when he asked for evidence, they had none to present, and charged the president to accord similar importance to the Ogoni clean-up, dualisation of Calabar-Itu road with a spur from Ididep, and other infrastructure challenges in the state.