Disquiet as Ex-Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel, Stripped of His Security

Chuks Okocha in Abuja 

There is tension in Akwa Ibom State following allegedwithdrawal of security details attached to the immediate past governor of the state, Mr Udom Emmanuel, over the weekend.

Checks revealed that policemen attached to the two houses of the former governor in Akwa Ibom have all been withdrawn.

The development has raised mixed reactions in the state as some fingered the All Progressives Congress-led State government of being behind it to coerce the former governor to join the party, while others believed that the action was a validation that all was not well between governor Umo Eno and his predecessor, Mr Emmanuel.

Emmanuel is the political godfather of the incumbent Governor Eno, having played an active role in his choice and election as governor on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 general election.

But their relationship appeared to have waned following Eno’s defection to the APC. Emmanuel, has however remained mute all the while but pledged unalloyed loyalty to the PDP.

Emmanuel’s stance to remain in the PDP and work towards rebuilding the party ahead of the 2027 elections was said to be a threat to the APC state  government hence  the move to cripple him.

Distancing itself from the incident, Akwa Ibom government through the Commissioner for Information, Mr Aniekan Umana, in a press briefing, described as false and misleading media report 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 was the sole prerogative of the commissioner of police and not the governor.

“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 were 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 rumour exists only in the imagination of those peddling it,” Umanah added.