Residents of Ikot Utim community in Essien Udim Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom have alleged infringement of their fundamental human rights by the Senator Godswill Akpabio-led All Progressive Congress (APC).
The residents, who condemned the ongoing action, called on Civil Liberty Organizations and the international bodies to come to their aid as their rights to freedom of association have been infringed upon by the State Chapter of the APC, Ibom Telegraph authoritatively gathered.
Ikot Utim is a neighbouring community to Ikot Uko where the current member representing Ikot Ekpene Federal Constituency, Elder Emmanuel Akpan, comes from.
According to our source, Obonganwan Mercy Etim, residents of the area are being forced to fill APC membership form at gunpoint and a false hope that the sum of N5000 will given them monthly till the 2019 elections.
Speaking on behalf of the resident, Obonganwan Etin said “Our brother, Emmanuel Sunday Akpan, told us last weekend that his leader and the leader of APC in Akwa Ibom, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has asked him to mobilize the people of the area for the party. He promised us that we will be placed on monthly stipend of N5000 if we register ourselves as members of the APC. Today, he has asked his boys to force us to fill the APC membership because time was running out. We cannot be forced to become members of APC. It should be out of our own volition. Senator Godswill Akpabio is our great son but he cannot infringe on our fundamental human rights. We have the right to association and the Constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria allows that.”
“We can to use this opportunity to call on the international communities and civil liberty organizations to come to our aid because the Police and other security agencies will not believe or understand our plights,” she added.
