A pressure group, Akwa Ibom Liberation Movement has raised alarm over possible post-election violence in the state.
The just concluded governorship and state house of assembly elections in Akwa Ibom state has been adjudged generally peaceful despite pockets of violence in parts of the state.
The leader of the group, Prince Emmanuel Sam, during a media briefing in Uyo on Saturday evening said intelligence gathered by the movement shows that agents of the All Progressives Congress (APC) were planning to forment trouble.
In his words: “the Governorship and State Assembly elections have been so peaceful in the state, except some few spots where there are crises.
“In the whole, we can conclude that elections in Akwa Ibom State have been peaceful. We commend the security agents for providing necessary protection for citizens of the state to cast their votes”.
“Reports from our field workers show that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has won in almost all the local government areas, but as an impartial body, our concern is not who is leading in the elections, but the pending crisis that is about to envelop the state”.
“We have gathered from our field workers that that All Progressives Congress, APC gubernatorial candidate, leaders of the party in connivance with some security agents, have moved into various local government collation centres across the state to disrupt collation of results from all the units and wards”.
“Let it be known to security agents currently in Akwa Ibom State, that the people have spoken through their votes, as such, they should not assist individual or group of individuals to subvert the will of the masses”, he admonished.
Sam further stated that thugs sponsored by the APC, with assistance from security agents, were planning to burn down Local government offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as a way of halting announcement of results, thus paving way for APC to smuggle in doctored result sheets that are in their favour.
He appealed to the INEC REC, Mr. Mike Igini, to keep to his words by announcing only the results published in various polling units of the state.
In addition, the group leader also call on the international community, European Union Observer group to follow activities at all the collation centres in the local governments.
“We urge them to withdraw VISAs of all those who want to incite violence in the state and that of their children.
“Akwa Ibom State people have spoken through the sanctity of ballot and must be respected”.
Read the full text of the media briefing below.
PRESS STATEMENT BY AKWA IBOM LIBERATION MOVEMENT, AILM
March 9, 2019
Gentlemen of the Press.
Thank you for availing us your time. As we have seen, the Governorship and State Assembly elections have been so peaceful in the state, except some few spots where there were crises. In the whole, we can conclude that elections in Akwa Ibom State have been peaceful. We commend the security agents for providing necessary protection for citizens of the state to cast their votes.
Fillers from our field workers in virtually all the 2,900 polling units across the state show that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has won almost all the local government areas. As impartial body, our concern is not who is leading in the elections, but the pending crisis that is about to envelop the state.
We have gathered from our field workers that All Progressives Congress, APC gubernatorial candidate, leaders of the party in connivance with security agents, have moved into various local government collation centres across the state to disrupt collation of results from all the units and wards.
Let it be known to security agents currently in Akwa Ibom State, that the people have spoken through their votes, as such, they should not assist any individual or group of individuals to subvert the will of the masses.
We gathered that thugs sponsored by APC, to be assisted by security agents, are planning to burn Local government offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, was a way of halting announcement of results and paving way for APC to inject their doctored result sheets in their favour.
We call on the INEC REC, Mr. Mike Igini to keep to his words by announcing only the results published in various polling units of the state.
We call on the Federal Government, Military and the Police hierarchy, to instruct their men not to assist any politician in his heinous act.
We also call on the international community, European Union Observer group to follow activities at all the collation centres in the local governments.
We urge them to withdraw VISAs of all those who want to incite violence in the state and that of their children. Akwa Ibom State people have spoken through the sanctity of ballot and must be respected.
Thank you.
Prince Emmanuel Sam
Leader of the Movement
