The battle for the soul of Ikot Ekpene politics is taking its toll as Gov. Akpabio... moves against a core loyalist of his Works Commissioner, Mr. Don Etim.
The governor had on Monday December 8, 2014, dispatched a team of armed police operatives, numbering well over 30, as well as the Director of SSS in the state to effect the arrest of Otuekong Nathaniel Uyo, publisher of Peace Letters and Head of the group known as Peace House.
A source who witnessed the incident said that the raid was carried out in a commando-like fashion as the security agents were said to have fired indiscriminately into the air, scaring residents and neighbors.
The source said the invading security operatives while taking away their suspect said they were acting on instruction from "above".
A security source, however, informed Weekly Insight that the governor had laid a complaint before security agencies in the state that Uyo was planning to "bomb the Akwa Ibom International Stadium on the day of the PDP governorship primaries".
A visit by our reporter to Otuekong Uyo's house showed disappointed members of his family who were weeping over his whereabouts.
Speaking, the sister to Uyo, Mrs. Eno Inyang said she was so disappointed at the sudden arrest of her brother who escaped assassination attempt on his life the previous night.
She explained that Otuekong Uyo has been a peace loving person who goes about his duties peacefully and wondered why his freedom should be infringed based on some reasons which neither the government nor police has been able to explain.
She appealed to the government to release her brother whose children are still too young to pass through the trauma of their father's incarceration.
Otuekong Nathaniel Uyo is a known loyalist of Mr. Don Etim, who Weekly Insight learnt was positioning his brother, Ken for the Ikot Ekpene/Obot Akara/Essien Udim Federal Constituency seat in the House of Representatives.
Their dream was, however, truncated when Gov Akpabio railroaded the political machinery in the area into accepting what a high ranking politician in the area called the "imposition of Hon Emmanuel Akpan, member representing Essien Udim in the state House of Assembly as the PDP candidate for the House of Reps position".
Another source said that Uyo and many other core Ikot Ekpene politicians were being attacked for their firm support for Mr Nsima Ekere, against the desperate effort of the governor to have Udom Emmanuel succeed him as governor.
Our source hinted that though Mr. Etim was not happy with the turn of events, he has remained silent not to incur the wrath of Akpabio, who recently has been known to show little tolerance to any form of opposition to his Udom project, no matter how subtle.
It will be recalled that Akpabio had to dispence of his long standing loyalist and principal hit man in Ikot Ekpene, when he schemed Mr Sunny Ibanga out as the chairman of the Ikot Ekpene chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, "dashing" him in the process the Village Headship of his village, all because he was known to have a soft spot for Mr. Nsima Ekere's governorship aspiration.
It would be recalled that Otuekong is a strong political factor in Ikot Ekpene whose support for any candidate is paramount for the candidate's success.
Meanwhile, the staff of peace letters Newspaper have appealed to the NUJ to intervene in the immediate release of their chairman, noting that as a man who has fulfilled all the demands of the union, he should not be left alone in time like this.
She explained that Otuekong Uyo has been a peace loving person who goes about his duties peacefully and wondered why his freedom should be infringed based on some reasons which neither the government nor police has been able to explain.
She appealed to the government to release her brother whose children are still too young to pass through the trauma of their father's incarceration.
Otuekong Nathaniel Uyo is a known loyalist of Mr. Don Etim, who Weekly Insight learnt was positioning his brother, Ken for the Ikot Ekpene/Obot Akara/Essien Udim Federal Constituency seat in the House of Representatives.
Their dream was, however, truncated when Gov Akpabio railroaded the political machinery in the area into accepting what a high ranking politician in the area called the "imposition of Hon Emmanuel Akpan, member representing Essien Udim in the state House of Assembly as the PDP candidate for the House of Reps position".
Another source said that Uyo and many other core Ikot Ekpene politicians were being attacked for their firm support for Mr Nsima Ekere, against the desperate effort of the governor to have Udom Emmanuel succeed him as governor.
Our source hinted that though Mr. Etim was not happy with the turn of events, he has remained silent not to incur the wrath of Akpabio, who recently has been known to show little tolerance to any form of opposition to his Udom project, no matter how subtle.
It will be recalled that Akpabio had to dispence of his long standing loyalist and principal hit man in Ikot Ekpene, when he schemed Mr Sunny Ibanga out as the chairman of the Ikot Ekpene chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, "dashing" him in the process the Village Headship of his village, all because he was known to have a soft spot for Mr. Nsima Ekere's governorship aspiration.
It would be recalled that Otuekong is a strong political factor in Ikot Ekpene whose support for any candidate is paramount for the candidate's success.
Meanwhile, the staff of peace letters Newspaper have appealed to the NUJ to intervene in the immediate release of their chairman, noting that as a man who has fulfilled all the demands of the union, he should not be left alone in time like this.
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