IPAC Botched Election: Udom's Aide Attacked Us With Thugs - Party Chairmen

 

 

                           Rev Aniebiet Emmanuel

As Aniebet Emmanuel Emerges A'Ibom IPAC Chairman

The Chairman of the Peoples Redemption Party(PRP), Akwa Ibom State, Rev Aniebet Emmanuel and the Chairman, National Rescue Movement (NRM),Mr Chris Ben have accused the Special Assistant to  Governor Udom Emmanuel on Inter- Party Affairs, Mr. Lawrence Udoide of invading the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Akwa Ibom State with thugs during the body's election yesteday to beat them, inflict bodily injuries on them and destroy election materials, thereby nullifying the entire election process.

The action of Udoide they alleged is motivated by his plan to impose a state Chairman on IPAC, maintaining that Udoide is the biggest joker of the century to even imagine that such an evil plan will succeed.

Aniebet Emmanuel while addressing news men after the botched election noted that IPAC is one of the democratic structures in Nigeria that protects the nation's democracy and will not allow any individual or group  to destroy this reputation.

The election of new party executive for the Inter-Party Advisory Council(IPAC), Akwa Ibom state started on a suspicious note when the PRP Chairman  in the State, Aniebet Emmanuel told the leader of the national officers who came to conduct the election that they were already compromised shortly after his address to lead stakeholders into the election hall.

Aniebet and other Chairmen of some political parties in the state accused some national Chairmen of sacrificing democracy on the altar of greed by collecting bribes from Udoide to sack State Chairmen that would stop Udoide's plan only twenty- four hours to the election.

The Chairmen lamented that the national officers were compromised because they failed to give appropriate notice, spanning a few days to the election to State Chairmen to enable them prepare for the election; saying " rather they came to the State, were lodged by the government in a hotel, have been eating food provided by the government, drive in government vehicles and collect money from the government. How can these kind of people conduct a free and fair election? it is not possible, they are already compromised."

After hot exchange of words between the chairmen and national officers, state chairmen were admitted into the hall; then another group of persons were allowed in against the will of some Chairmen who alleged that they were thugs and shouldn't have been allowed in by security operatives manning the door.

Aniebet alleged that those persons were thugs brought to the election venue by Lawrence Udoide adding that the thugs beat him and other Chairmen who stood up against the planned malpractice by Udoide and the purported national leaders of IPAC to the end that they will impose a Chairman for IPAC in Akwa Ibom state.

He said the violence introduced into the election by Udoide made it impossible for the election to be done,  as such IPAC in Akwa Ibom state still has its exco intact.

Corroborating the statement of Aniebet Emmanuel, the Chairman, NRM, Mr. Chris Ben said the attack on Chairmen who wanted to counter Udoide's plan to impose a Chairman on IPAC in Akwa Ibom state has been coordinated to the point that only twenty- four hours to the election some party Chairmen at the national level  were bought by Udoide to make them sack their State Chairmen, so that new ones who could be easily manipulated were replaced in the position.

Ben said at no time in its history in the State had IPAC witnessed the kind of abuse Udoide has introduced adding that he was beaten by DSS officers and Udoide's thugs.

In view of the fact that the election materials were destroyed, the state Chairman of APGA, Mr. Patrick Otu  and other Chairmen noted tha there was no election and the IPAC exco in Akwa Ibom state led by Rev. Aniebet Emmanuel remains the only valid exco recognized by IPAC members.

Otu revealed that text messages on the planned election were sent to the candidates for the election twenty- four hours to the election by the national officers,  all in a bid to frustrate them

" In fact, some of us heard of the election from our colleagues and this shows that the national officers who came to conduct the election were seriously compromised " he stated.

Other members of the IPAC exco are,  Mr. Patrick Otu of APGA as Secretary, Mr. Chris Ben of NRM as Organizing Secretary, Ambassador Kelvin Ubong Umoh as Publicity Secretary while Mr. Stein Etim is to serve as Treasurer.

Addressing news men after the botched election the Publicity Secretary of IPAC, Akwa Ibom state, Ambassador, Kelvin Ubong Umoh said the plot by the Special Assistant to Governor Udom Emmanuel to distabilize IPAC in Akwa Ibom state has failed as the members remain united in their resolve to continue defending democracy.

" We are peace loving people in IPAC and we will continue to play our role of advising the government in order to deepen our democracy and ensure that our State makes progress. But we advise the government to continue working with the Rev. Aniebet Emmanuel led exco as this is the exco recognized by IPAC members for 2021/2022" he stressed.

Meanwhile, efforts to speak with the Special Assistant to Governor Udom Emmanuel on Inte-Party Affairs, Mr. Lawrence Udoide proved abortive as he ignored requests to be interviewed by Reporters at the INEC office in Uyo( scene of the botched election that turned violent)

He jumped into his car and sped off. The national officers also followed him to an unknown destination.