My life is in danger, Akwa Ibom YPP guber candidate cries out
The Governorship Candidate of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) in Akwa Ibom State in the March 2023 governorship election, Obong Bassey Albert Akpan,, has raised the alarm over an alleged plot by those he called desperate politicians to eliminate him.
Albert, known popularly as OBA, spoke through the Spokesperson for the YPP, Mr. Usoro Usoro, on Tuesday.
Albert, a former senator, is challenging the victory of Governor Umo Eno of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the 18 March governorship election at the Election Petition Tribunal in the state.
The tribunal sits at the State Judiciary Complex, Uyo, meters from the Government House and almost opposite a police division.
Sounds of gunshots and teargas were heard Tuesday evening close to the complex after the close of hearing at the tribunal, with residents of the area scampering for safety.
Our reporter who visited the area saw empty canisters on the road with several vehicles on a reversed drive around the roundabout close to the Government House.
The entire area, from the Presbyterian Church to the Government House, was deserted while residents were seen in clusters a few meters away discussing the incident.
The police spokesperson in the state, Odiko Macdon, did not respond to requests for comments.
Narrating what led to the fracas by the police, Mr Usoro said the police apparently wanted to arrest Mr Albert’s witness, who testified on Tuesday at the tribunal.
Mr Albert, as part of his petitions at the tribunal, tendered the academic credentials of Mr Eno from the University of Uyo to advance his allegation that he (Eno) was kicked out of the university over alleged fake school certificates.
A court in Uyo had earlier cleared Mr Eno of the allegation that his WAEC certificate was fake.
Mr Usoro told PREMIUM TIMES that Governor Eno’s legal team claimed the documents submitted by Mr Albert were fake and that the witness, Daniel Akpan, said to be an administrative officer in the Office of the Registrar at the University of Uyo, who claimed to have endorsed the true certified copy of Mr Eno’s academic credentials in University did not exist.
He said the university’s Director of Academic Affairs and Records, Ime Akpabio, last week testified at the tribunal that there was nobody named Daniel Akpan in the institution’s records, a development he said triggered the court to subpoena Mr Akpan.
“He (Mr Akpan) was not specifically asked if the documents were real, but he insisted that he certified Mr Eno’s file with the Records Unit of the University.
“He was able to prove he was genuine (he exists) by tendering his identity card, IPPIS number, pay slips up to May 2023, appointment and promotion letters.
“When Mr Akpan appeared in court today (Tuesday), Mr Eno’s legal team were rattled and had to ask the court to stand down for an hour for them to prepare themselves,” he said.
Uwemedimo Nwoko, a former Attorney General of the state and member of Mr Eno’s legal team, did not respond to requests for comments when contacted for his reaction to Mr Usoro’s comments.
Anietie Usen, senior special assistant to Governor Eno on Media and Publicity, did not also respond to requests for comments on the matter.
Mr Usoro said while they were in the court, they were informed that the police had cordoned off the axis leading to the Judiciary Complex and that there was a heavy presence of police officers.
“I took it lightly until when we wanted to go. When we got to the A Division by Uyo Village Road, about four vehicles were used by the police to block the road, and we were all asked to come down and they (the police) searched the vehicles, opened everywhere, apparently, they were looking for the witness.
“So when Mr Albert’s convoy got to that point, the police insisted on searching his personal vehicle. He (Mr Albert) said there was no reason for them to do that, and that was where in the cause of verbal exchange, the next thing the police started shooting teargas everywhere, and there was pandemonium, and people started running,” he said.
Mr Usoro said it took an intervention from a “higher quarter” before Mr Albert was allowed to go without the police searching his private vehicle.
“The summary of the matter is that Mr Albert and his supporters do not feel safe anymore to go to that Tribunal in that particular place because what we saw today (Tuesday) we never imagined, and there has been no explanation,” he said.
