Group raises alarm over signs of post election violence in Akwa Ibom

A pressure group, Akwa Ibom Liberation Movement (AILM) has raised the alarm that there are indicators that there may be post-election violence in the state.

The just concluded governorship and state house of assembly elections in Akwa Ibom state has been adjudged generally peaceful despite pockets of violence in parts of the state.

During a media briefing in Uyo, the state capital, on Saturday evening, Emmanuel Sam, leader of the group, said intelligence gathered by the movement shows that agents of the All Progressives Congress were planning to foment trouble.

“The Governorship and State Assembly elections have been so peaceful in the state, except some few spots where there are crises,” he said.

“In the whole, we can conclude that elections in Akwa Ibom State have been peaceful. We commend the security agents for providing necessary protection for citizens of the state to cast their votes.

“Reports from our field workers show that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has won in almost all the local government areas, but as an impartial body, our concern is not who is leading in the elections, but the pending crisis that is about to envelop the state.

“We have gathered from our field workers that that All Progressives Congress, APC gubernatorial candidate, leaders of the party in connivance with some security agents, have moved into various local government collation centres across the state to disrupt collation of results from all the units and wards.

“Let it be known to security agents currently in Akwa Ibom State, that the people have spoken through their votes, as such, they should not assist individual or group of individuals to subvert the will of the masses.”

Sam alleged that thugs sponsored by the APC, with assistance from security agents, were planning to burn down local government offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, as a way of halting announcement of results.

He appealed to Mike Igini, INEC REC, to keep to his words by announcing only the results published in various polling units of the state.