The Young Progressives Party (YPP) in Akwa Ibom State has urged Governor Udom Emmanuel to focus on providing good governance in the remaining months of his tenure, rather than using state resources to install a successor whom they claim is merely a surrogate for his third term. During a press conference held at the party’s secretariat on Saturday, the state chairman, Apostle Nyeneime Andy, alleged that electoral freedom and fair play are under significant threat in the state. He accused the Udom Emmanuel-led administration of initiating processes that could undermine democracy in Akwa Ibom.
Apostle Andy emphasized that the YPP cannot legitimately seek votes from the public while the state government is reportedly plotting to manipulate the upcoming elections. He supported his claims by stating that the governor had utilized state funds to purchase 31 Hiace buses, costing over N1.24 billion, for the campaign of Pastor Umo Eno, the governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the governor’s preferred choice. Additionally, he pointed out that during a gathering of the PDP in Atan Offot, Uyo, the governor announced the hiring of 70 agents for each polling unit across the 31 Local Government Areas, each receiving a monthly stipend of N100,000. With 4,354 polling units in the state, the total cost of hiring these agents would amount to N91.334 billion from January to March.
The YPP chairman questioned why the governor, who has claimed that the state lacks funds, would spend such a substantial amount on what he termed frivolities instead of addressing the pensions and gratuity arrears owed to the next of kin of retired primary school teachers and other public servants. He argued that the governor should have redirected these funds towards completing several unfinished road projects and other critical infrastructure in need of financial support.
In his statement, Apostle Andy remarked, “The Udom Emmanuel-led administration has set in motion a process to pervert democracy in Akwa Ibom State—all in a bid to foist his stooge, Pastor Umo Eno, on the people. We call on the administration to concentrate on providing good governance for the remaining period in power rather than pursuing an illusory third term through the imposition of Pastor Umo Eno.” He recalled the governor’s previous assertion made on August 24, 2020, where he stated, “I’m not like other former Governors. I’ll never go for a third term through surrogacy. I’m not interested in who succeeds me as the next Governor of Akwa Ibom State. When my tenure comes to an end, I’ll leave the Government House with just my laptop.”
Furthermore, the YPP chairman claimed that the party had intelligence indicating that the PDP was engaged in buying Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and obtaining Voter Identification Numbers (VINs) from unsuspecting citizens across the 31 Local Government Areas, with the intent to rig the elections. He called on security agencies and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to investigate these allegations. He also accused local INEC officials of colluding with the state government to engage in electoral malpractice, although he expressed hope that the assurances given by INEC Chairman Professor Mahmood Yakubu regarding the use of Bimodal Voter Registration Systems (BVAS) would prevent manipulation.
In response, the Publicity Secretary of the state PDP, Mr. Borono Bassey, dismissed the YPP’s claims as mere preemptive wailing in anticipation of defeat in the upcoming elections. He criticized the YPP chairman’s allegations regarding the state’s supposed plans to rig the election through PVC purchases, asserting that such claims reflect a lack of understanding of the technology that will drive the 2023 elections. Bassey explained that the BVAS system, which combines fingerprint and facial biometrics for voter verification, renders the buying of PVCs ineffective. He also refuted the assertion that campaign buses were purchased with state funds, clarifying that the vehicles were acquired through dues and goodwill donations from PDP members. Additionally, he labeled the claim about the payment of polling agents as false, emphasizing that Governor Udom Emmanuel is aware of the anti-graft agency’s oversight and the potential consequences of misappropriating state resources.
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