Gov Emmanuel accuses security operatives of threat to voters in A’ Ibom

Isaac Job,Uyo

The Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel has accused security personnel in the state of intimidating the electorates. Speaking in Onna local government area after casting his vote in Awa Ward 1, Unit 1, the Governor said the level of intimidation from security personnel was unbearable. He said people in the state, particularly Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) supporters were being intimidated and harassed, adding that many PDP supporters are currently being held in police custody. He alleged that the Commissioner of Police was working with other junior officers to harass citizens. “I call on security officers that Nigeria is a peaceful country and we have adequate rule of law. And if they don’t obey, we will challenge it in the law court. They should stay off intimidations.  “The level of Intimidation in Akwa Ibom State is unbearable. People are being intimidated, harassed and the Commissioner of Police sent to Akwa Ibom is working with three or four junior officers to harass innocent people.  “If you go to their cell now, it is filled with PDP supporters, l don’t know whether they have a cell that can take the 2.1 million voters in the state because they all belong to one political party. So if they can arrest the 2.1million that’s when the elections would be thwarted,” he said.  He commended the electoral process, saying though there were hitches during the process, it went well. On his Senior Special Assistant on security, Capt. Iniobong Ekong who was picked by the army, the Governor said he doubted the genuineness of his arrest. He stated that if his aide had any question to answer, the police should have been the one to question him and not the army. He said, “You cannot have a perfect process because the card readers are man made, but the  readers are authentic. It’s just the issue of authentication of finger print, which I hope would be promptly rectified  to avoid delaying the process. The corp members are well trained but the machines can fail because they are man made. “Not that he was picked, I think he was tricked into the army barracks and just kept there. I don’t know what they think one man can do. This is just one human being and we are ready for the election.  “If he has any issue, I think it is just the police that should have questioned him but why invite him to 6 Division, not even the 2 brigade that is in the state. I doubt the genuineness of such detention. I just don’t want to preempt until we check with the army”.