Okon Bassey in Uyo
More reactions have continued to trail the comment made by the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, on the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, during his political campaign in the state.
Tinubu, during his rally in Uyo, the state capital, last Monday said (in pidgin English): “Akwa Ibom, that boy weh bring Atiku here, weh de call himself governor, tell him enough is enough! He lives in my backyard in Lagos, If no be say we be one I would have driven him home. You see that mansion he is living in, I would just use lizards, pigeons and scorpions and put them inside.”
Yesterday the Akwa Ibom State Government officially reacted to the comment, describing Tinubu jibe as unwarranted, uncharitable and anachronistic.
Also, yesterday, the Akwa Ibom Integrity Alliance issued a seven-day ultimatum to the APC presidential candidate to retract his statements and threats on Governor Emmanuel or face legal action.
Similarly, the President of the Apex Ekid socio cultural organisation, Afigh Iwaad Ekid, Chief Etiene Bob, called on the former Lagos State governor to apologise to the people of Akwa Ibom State for his remarks on Governor Emmanuel.
On their part, the Ibibio famous ethic group, the Mboho Mkparawa Ibibio, called on Tinubu to apologise as his comment on Emmanuel can generate to ethnic crisis.
Wondering why Tinubu should have made such comment, the state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Ini Ememobong, noted that the government and people of the state did not at any time say or act in any way provocative to the person or campaign of Tinubu while in the state.
“Instead, all the facilities used by his campaign were generously approved for their use by the government without any hitch or delay,” the commissioner said in a statement.
Ememobong argued that the residence which Tinubu has threatened to take over totally belongs to the Government of Akwa Ibom State, and “his threat is taken very seriously considering his antecedents.
“Conversely, Akwa Ibom State has been home to all Nigerians (including Yoruba people), who have, over many years, done business and even resided here, without any threat to them or their business.
“The comments by Tinubu, to say the least, are immature and totally unexpected of a person of his advanced age. That is an insult to the government and people of the state, and we demand an apology.
“Governor Udom Emmanuel was duly elected as the state governor, and therefore, it is clearly un-presidential and undemocratic Tinubu to say that he ‘calls himself governor’.
“Tinubu should during his campaigns concern himself with answering questions about his nebulous history and his amorphous manifestos.
“The presidency of our country is a very serious business that must be treated with seriousness and intellectual depth.
“The government advises all its citizens to ignore the vituperations of Tinubu and continue to co-exist peacefully with all Nigerians who are living and doing legitimate businesses in our state.”
