The security details attached to the immediate past governor of the Akwa Ibom State, Mr Udom Emmanuel has been withdrawn over the weekend.
Its been gathered that the policemen attached to the two houses of the former governor in Akwa Ibom have all been recalled.
The development has raised dust and tension in the state, and the All Progressives Congress, APC-led State government has been accused by some, of being behind it to coerce the former governor to join the party, while others believed that the action was a proof that all was not well between governor Umo Eno and his predecessor, Mr Emmanuel due to Governor Umo Eno’s defection to the APC, and Emmanuel’s pledge of unalloyed loyalty to the PDP.
However, Akwa Ibom government through the Commissioner for Information, Mr Aniekan Umana in a press briefing, has distanced itself from the incident, describing the information as false and misleading, alleging that it directed the withdrawal of security personnel attached to the ex-governor.
He said the report was intentionally fabricated to mislead the public, adding that deployment of police officers is the sole prerogative of the commissioner of police and not the governor.
His words, ‘The deployment, reassignment, or withdrawal of police officers is the exclusive responsibility of the Inspector-General of Police and the commissioner of Police in each State, and not the duty of any Governor.
“I can tell you on good authority that the Governor did not issue any directive to withdraw security operatives from the immediate past Governor.”
He further noted that all former governors of Akwa Ibom State are entitled to, and continue to enjoy, their security details as approved by law.
“To the best of our knowledge, there has been no complaint or report from any former Governor or their media aides about the withdrawal of security personnel. The rumor exists only in the imagination of those peddling it,” Umanah added.
The commissioner urged members of the public to disregard the baseless propaganda, reaffirming that the peace loving Governor of Akwa Ibom State remained focused on promoting peace, unity, and good governance across the State.
On the other hand, the Special Assistant to former governor Emmanuel, Barrister Steve Abia, confirmed the withdrawal of the security details attached to the former governor, but could not tell who ordered the withdrawal.
He said, “The reality on ground is that if you go to the Ex-governor’s houses right now, there are no police security men, that is the truth.”
“Who withdrew the security personnel is what I cannot make any statement on. So, if you have time we can go there, so you find out,” he told our correspondent.
However, a pro PDP group, PDP Advocates for Peace and Justice has described the incident as politically motivated and a ploy to subdue the former governor.
The Chairman of the group, Dr Tom FredFish in a telephone conversation told DAILY POST that, “So, if the state is saying that it does not know the whereabouts of the security details in Udom’s place, how does it sound?
“Also, this means a confirmation to the fact that Umo Eno is having issues with his leader, because never in a time that the federal government can just come and remove details from a former governor.
“It’s a pity that they have played politics to that extent. All this is just for them to kill the PDP, not to exist in the state and to see how they can pocket PDP.
“Udom has come out perhaps to say, no, PDP has to stand as a party. They are working towards everything to see that the party collapses in the state.
“But it will not work. PDP is not anybody’s federal property in Akwa Ibom State.
“My advice is that they should stop panicking and focus on governance.”
