A Priest and activist in Akwa Ibom State, Rev’d Richard Peters has raised alarm over the plot by former Senate minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio to cause mayhem and rig the 2019 elections in the state.
Speaking in Uyo, Peters revealed that Akpabio has in connivance with the MD/CEO of Activate, procured over 800,000 Thumb-printed ballot papers and result sheets to manipulate the polls.
He also accused the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the State, Obong Nsima Ekere of recruiting some thugs to sabotage the electoral process and unleash mayhem in the state.
Read his full text here
I welcome you all to this press briefing. This briefing is informed by the recent happenings in our state and nation, Nigeria, in the struggle to elect credible leaders to positions of authority, to handle the affairs of our state and country at large.
As we are all aware, the Presidential and National Assembly elections which was billed to take place on Saturday, 16th February, 2019 was postponed by the elections umpire (INEC) at the wee hours to the elections. Although INEC came out to explain their reasons for the postponement, we are left with no option than to believe that all things work together for good; and that Nigeria, including Akwa Ibom State, shall have God-chosen leaders duly elected to rule in the affairs of the citizens.
While preparations are still ongoing for the 2019 elections, let me state here that some people are still in the business of sabotaging the existing peace in Akwa Ibom State, and are all out to cause trouble and political unrest in the state.
Intelligence reports indicate that former Senate Minority leader, Godswill Akpabio had already concluded his rigging plans to truncate a free and fair elections in the state. he is reported to have obtained fake results sheets and made over eight hundred thousand (800,000) thumb-prints for the All Progressive Congress in connivance with the MD/CEO of Activate; the company in charge of producing the card readers, results sheets and other materials for the elections; and was planning to further connive with security operatives to secretly replace the original INEC results sheets with his already thumb-printed fake results.
I am using this occasion to alert the International community and other well-meaning citizens of Akwa Ibom State and Nigeria, to wade into the matter and put a stop to Akpabio’s elections rigging plans in Akwa Ibom State.
Reliable security information also has it that the APC Governorship candidate, Obong Nsima Eket has recruited able-bodied thugs that he is planning to engage during the governorship elections, to cause mayhem in polling units across the state, and create an avenue for snatching ballot boxes and rigging the elections.
A leaked WHATSAPP chat of his (Nsima’s) campaign group chat indicates that Nsima Ekere has instructed the thugs to implicate some PDP chieftains as their sponsors, if they are caught by security operatives in their course of fomenting trouble at polling units. This, according to information, is to cause massive arrests of PDP stakeholders to enable the APC have an edge in rigging the elections.
I am not ignorant of the fact that Senator Godswill Akpabio, Nsima Ekere, Senator J. J. Akpanudoedehe, Senator Ita Enang, etc., are all out to cause stiff tension in Akwa Ibom State so that elections in the state would be cancelled, and a special date be fixed, to enable them to employ the “Federal might” in depriving Akwa Ibom electorates of choosing credible candidates for the governorship and other positions in the 2019 general elections.
Intelligence available to me has it that the APC is mobilizing youths to go on public demonstration against INEC, the person of Mike Igini and the PDP. While the demonstration goes on these folks will have to destroy things and blame it on the PDP.
Their media hirelings are ready to push their narratives against the PDP.
I use this occasion once again to call on the International Community, youths and every citizens of Akwa Ibom State to be on alert to resist the occurrence of such planned mayhems during elections. Let us put a stop on the plots to hold election on a special date in Akwa Ibom State. All elections in Akwa Ibom State must be done alongside other states in the country.
Clearly, imposition of another person’s will through electoral malpractices which include ballot snatching among other forms of intimidation is antithetical to the demands of free, fair and acceptable elections. Such practices abhor the very fabric on which democracy stands and can ignite violence and terrible consequence.
Let me therefore make a passionate appeal to all citizens of Akwa Ibom State to respect electoral laws among other extant laws devised towards a smooth and peaceful conduct of the forthcoming election.
Thank you.
