In solidarity with the people of Ekiti State on the 2018 Governorship poll, the Akwa Ibom State Chapter of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), led by Obong Paul Ekpo, has condemned the recent attack on Governor Ayo Fayose by men of the Nigerian Police Force and called on respective security agencies to ensure that they create a peaceful atmosphere for free, transparent and credible conduct of the election.
The Obong Ekpo-led PDP, who made this known in Uyo on Thursday through a peaceful demonstration at the party Secretariat, aligned its support with the National leadership of the party and said the action by the police force “is barbaric and alien to the Democratic tenets as enshrined in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Addressing the protesters, Obong Ekpo said “this Chapter of PDP is on a peaceful mission to lay its complaint on the mistake that took place yesterday in Ekiti State. We join all well meaning Nigerians to condemn such barbaric act and we call on the international community to come to our aide, because our hard earned democracy is under intense attack by anti-democracy agents.”
“We are here as loyal party faithful to align with the position of the National Leadership of the party by condemning in totality the attack that was meted on Governor Fayose of Ekiti State. We share in their pains because it concerns us as a party and it is our Governor that is the Chairman of the committee coordinating the activities for PDP in preparation for the Saturday election in Ekiti. We know that he is a man of victory. We know he will record victory in the elections and will come back victorious after the elections. So, we stand by him, the party, Governor Fayode and Ekiti as a whole,” he added.
Speaking further, Obong Ekpo said “We know that Ekiti people are determined to vote Professor and this has been further confirmed by the APC Minister who couldn’t help but called on Ekiti people to vote for Fayose by voting Eleka because he can cook for them to eat during their rally in Ado Ekiti. Akwa Ibom is with Ekiti and we believe in true democracy. We are certain that those that were sent to curse PDP will curse the APC at the end of the PDP’s Victory in Saturday.”
Obong Ekpo used the medium to appreciate party faithful who have remained steadfast, loyal and believe in the party’s activities.
He commended them for being “law abiding citizens of the country even in the face of the breach of human right.”
The Akwa Ibom PDP Chairman thanked stakeholders of the party who turned up en masse for the solidarity protest, maintaining that they have shown that “what concerns one member concerns all members of the party. Never again will we allow democracy to be derailed to this level of anarchy.”
In their separate speeches, Chapter Chairman of Esit Eket, Mr. Eddy Etangnkanga, who spoke on behalf of the Chapter Chairmen; Ikono Local Government Chairman, Mr Itoro Columba, who spoke on behalf of Local Government Council Chairmen; Senator Anietie Okon, who spoke on behalf of elders, and Special Adviser to the Governor on Political and Legislative Affairs, Barrister Ekong Sampson, condemned the attack in its entirety.
While also suing for peaceful conduct of the Saturday poll in Ekiti State, they stressed that such attack on a sitting Governor affirms the position of the party that democracy in Nigeria is under threat.
The speakers joined the party hierarchy to call on the agencies responsible for peace and order in the country to swing into action and restore same in the affected state.
