By Okon Bassey in Uyo
The Akwa Ibom State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has raised the alarm over the redeployment of the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of zone six, Kimo Musa, saying that it is a plot to use security to rig elections in the state for the All Progressives Congress (APC)
Musa was posted to the state on the heel of the crisis in the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly when five suspended members of the House attempted to impeach the State Governor, Udom Emmanuel, the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Onofiok Luke and other principal members.
Following his promotion to the rank of the Assistant Inspector General of Police, zone 6 with headquarters in Calabar, Cross River State, Musa has relocated to Akwa Ibom State to work on the security architecture of the state with the newly posted Commissioner to the state, Mr. Bashir Makama.
At a press briefing, the PDP State Publicity Secretary, Mr. Ini Ememobong, said the state is prepared for election, not war, alleging that the AIG is partisan and sympathetic to the course of the APC government at the centre.
According to the party, the activities of the AIG showed preference for police officers who had sympathy for APC as officers who were professional in their duty are being posted out or reassigned.
Ememobong alleged that many police officers have been threatened with delayed promotion if they do not cooperate with the partisan directives of the AIG, while complying officer are to be favoured.
He disclosed that the AIG has deployed Godswill Akpabio’s cousin, Idorenyin Akpabio, to man the Anti-Robbery Squad of the police command and has relocated to the state for the election, wondering why the police chief chose Akwa Ibom out of the six states in the zone to monitor the elections.
Ememobong stated that the AIG’s interest on the state exposes his plan to use his office to curry illegal favours for the APC, hence he should be held responsible for any crisis or violence before, during or after the elections in the state.
The PDP Publicity Secretary maintained that the AIG’s famous role in Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly crisis when he led five sacked lawmakers to disrupt the activities of the house is evident of his partisanship.
His words, “In Akwa Ibom State, some security chiefs are clearly partisan, remaining only to have their name in the party’s register. They do not hide their partisanship; in fact they wear it as a replacement for their official beret.
“Worthy of specific mention are AIG Musa Kimo, CSP Brown and SP Idorenyin Akpabio who have displayed unbridled partisanship with the APC in Akwa Ibom State.
“We learnt that they were threatened with delayed promotion and punitive postings if they failed to cooperate, while the pliant officers and men are to be favoured in preferential postings and accelerated promotion.
“It will be recalled that under the commissionership of Kimo, he posted out officers who were professional in their duties in preference for officers who had sympathy for the APC. He deployed Godswill Akpabio’s cousin, Idorenyin Akpabio, to man the Anti-Robbery Squad of the police Command and shielded CSP Brown from transfer and queries.
“His decision to permanently and immovably relocate to the state for the election is most worrisome and can only be a pointer to his avowed commitment to use his offices to curry illegal favours for the APC.
“The party is hereby alerting foreign and local observers, the Police service commission, INEC and the entire global community to the ignoble roles that the trio of Kimo, Brown and Akpabio, have assigned to themselves in the forthcoming elections.
“They are acting in concert with Senator Godswill Akpabio who now has the details of police deployment, not available to other candidates, even the Chief Security officer of the state.
“Despite the awareness of the civil population of their devious schemes, they are hell bent in manifesting their plans irrespective of the opposition to it. This will therefore be a catalyst for crisis.
“We want everyone to hold the trio responsible if there is any crisis or violence before, during or after the elections (especially the governorship election in the state.
“As a party, we are deeply committed to participating in a free, fair, credible and most importantly, peaceful elections that must reflect the wishes of the people,” he said.
Reacting, the AIG dismissed the allegation describing it as biased, mischievous and an attempt to damage his reputation.
He said there was no meeting between him and any police officer in any hotel in Uyo, and that nobody had led him to any hotel for meeting.
Hear him, “I have been deployed to supervise election here in Akwa Ibom State. I addressed officers at the police headquarters, Uyo and advised them to be nonpartisan and polite. I sent signals to DIGs and then copied the CP of Akwa Ibom. I have the copy of the signal.
“All their allegations are unfounded, untrue, they are mischievous and you can investigate.”
