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From JOE EFFIONG, Uyo

Thursday, March 24, 2011   Akwa Ibom has begun to count the loss of the ethno-political war that engulfed the state on Tuesday when the People Democratic Party (PDP) and Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) supporters clashed in Ikot Ekpene with a spill over in Uyo.

The collateral losses as each side takes inventory include 20 deaths, 1300 brand new cars and tricycles burnt at the Idongesit Nkanga State Secretariat; three vehicles including a Hummer Sports Utility Vehicle burnt at Senator Aloysius Etok’s Fortune High School Uyo. Also torched was the Goodluck/Akpabio campaign storey building. Four PDP supporters reportedly lost their genitals while 65 ACN supporters are in police net.

Governor Godswill Akpabio who gave the inventory on the side of PDP and state government said the 800 vehicles burnt at the state secretariat were the handiwork of the opposition that wanted to create insecurity in the state so that it could attract a state of emergency. The vehicles, including some tri-cycles were those purchased by the state government to be distributed to okada riders when the commercial motorcycles would have been banned in the state.

“I was in Mkpat Enin LGA and Abak campaigning. When I was coming back I was told not to take Abak road where the ACN candidate lives; that I should divert because I was going to be attacked. You must note that I had been attacked on that road several times by the people holding brooms. Each time my convoy is passing they put dagger inside the broom and rush to scratch vehicles. When they scratch vehicles they break the windscreen.

“What is happening in Akwa Ibom State, to me is an organised attack on the citizens of the state in order to create fear and insecurity in the citizens. This is part of the plan. “They are also trying to see whether they can provoke ethnic rivalry so that it will look as if the various ethnic groups are fighting and call for state of emergency like what is happening in Jos, Plateau State.

“It is the foolishness of the planners because anybody who wants to contest election to rule the people should not kill the people. Anybody that wants to contest election should know that the primary purpose of government is to protect the lives and property of the people and also ensure peace.”

The governor added: “This is no longer politics. You cannot just go and destroy over 800 brand new cars and burn down over 500 brand new Keke NAPEP and burn down all sort of edifices in the place. They went as far as cutting the private parts-genitals-of PDP members and they are in the general hospitals.

“Four men from the PDP lost their private parts yesterday while others are killed outrightly. We will bring them to book no matter who they are. This is no longer politics, it is outright criminality.

“We have given order of shoot-on-sight of anybody that wants to cause destruction and more criminality in this state,” Akpabio said and later departed for campaigns in Etinan and Nsit Ubium local government areas.

But on their side, ACN at a press briefing anchored by its state chairman, Chief Aniekan Akpan, said the attack on their campaign train by agents of PDP, which left 20 people dead, 50 wounded, vehicles destroyed, “was on the order of Governor Godswill Akpabio, who is from Ikot Ekpene federal constituency.”

The party, which postponed its rally for the day due to the crisis, said they had it on good authority that members of the governor’s war cabinet who organised and funded the attack were a serving commissioner in the state; a chapter chairman of PDP in Ikot Ekpene; a local government council chairman in the area; a House of Assembly member from the area; a special adviser to the governor and the chairman of a development authority (all names withheld) all from the area.

“It could be recalled that the PDP government had before now, denied our candidate and party, access to public venues in the state for rallies to frustrate us but our movement has grown in leaps and bounds because the almighty God is on our side and the vast majority of the masses are in our support.

“That the mayhem took place in the home base of the state governor speaks volumes about the current state of insecurity in Akwa Ibom State; it shows the desperation of the governor and the PDP in the state.

“It is very instructive and indeed very disgraceful that this ugly incidence happened at the doorsteps of the governor, in his hometown and a few minutes drive from his country home. It is unimaginable that such a degree of mayhem could be unleashed on fellow citizens of Akwa Ibom State in the backyard of their own governor, who was elected to protect their lives and property.”

According to the ACN chieftain, the incidence showcases the evil that PDP government has brought into the state. “Akwa Ibom used to be shing light in ethnic harmony but Gov. Akpabio has in his selfish aspiration to perpetuate his corrupt and very inept leadership wants to force people to return him to power. This is unacceptable to us and the people of the state.”

The party condemned the security agencies for playing partisan role in the crisis, alleging that despite applying severally, the police had refused to give them police coverage during the campaigns. Rather, they (police) had been operating as a parastatal of the state government, ACN alleged.

“As I am talking to you now, Governor Akpabio is boasting that he has paid N500 million to the police authorities in Abuja to ensure that the former commissioner of police, Mr Magaji, who refused to tag along with him was transferred and that he has gotten someone who will co-operate with him in his bid to rig the forthcoming elections in the state.”

ACN called on the Federal Government to rein in the joint military task force called Operation Oduma in the state because they “too have been corrupted by Governor Akpabio. Today (Wednesday) even though the whole state knows the truth about what happened yesterday, our supporters are being arrested and Gov. Akpabio has ordered that our leaders be arrested and detained until after the election.”

The new police commissioner, Mr Felix Uyanna while inspecting the extent of damage in Uyo said about 45 persons have been arrested in connection with the mayhem.

He told the press at Fortunes High School owned by Alloysius Etok, a senator representing Ikot Ekpene senatorial district, that those arrested would face the full weight of the law. Senator Etok who was around to take stock of his loss said items destroyed in the school premises was worth more than N100 million.