A/Ibom under siege - Gov Emmanuel

Governor Udom Emmanuel said, yesterday, that Akwa Ibom State is under siege and wants the Commissioner of Police in the state, Musa Kimo, removed.

The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly had earlier during plenary passed a resolution for the redeployment of the CP from the state.

Emmanuel addressed a world press conference, yesterday, in Uyo after he visited the State House of Assembly following a brief illegal takeover of the chambers by the five sacked lawmakers who defected to the APC and are now loyal to former Governor Godswill Akpabio.

The five lawmakers, who during their “sitting” suspended 11 of their colleagues loyal to the PDP, had also made attempt to “impeach” the governor.

The governor alleged that the CP led the police in threatening the peace of the state by aiding the five sacked lawmakers, who he held series of meetings with him, to take over the state House of Assembly.

Governor Emmanuel said efforts to reach the IGP on the activities of the CP who was recently posted to the state were ignored by the force headquarters, adding that the actions of the CP and the police were a threat to democracy.

He said the government had received intelligence report that the trouble fomented by the sacked lawmakers and backed by the police was a grand design to stop elections from holding in the state next year.

“We all worked for the democracy that is being threatened today. I want the whole world to know and hear me that we have seen total breakdown of law and order today, led by the Nigerian police, the same police that I am using the resources of the state on to make sure that we maintain peace and order in this state,” he said.

Daily Trust reports that there was drama at the assembly complex, yesterday, when the five APC lawmakers clashed with those loyal to Onofiok Luke, the Speaker, at the assembly premises.

The APC lawmakers’ sitting was presided over by their speaker, Nse Ntuen (Essien Udim State Constituency).

The lawmakers were Gabriel Toby, Etim Ekpo/Ika, Otobong Ndem, Mkpat Enin, Victor Udofia, Ikono, and Idongesit Ituen, Itu.

It was after they “suspended” their PDP colleagues and were about leaving that Governor Emmanuel arrived at the scene with security operatives including the police and DSS officers.

“Some people were arrested with fake army uniforms; they came with 18 AK47 rifles and they were arrested,” the governor alleged.