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Akwa Ibom and the turnover of police and SSS chiefs
By Nwadi Okoro
Newsdiaryonline Sat March 26,2011
It is not out of place that ACN is asking IGP Ringim to resign.
There is no state in Nigeria whose turnover of Police
Commissioners and SSS can be compared with Akwa Ibom’s in the
last few years. There is no doubt that those who could not work
with the governor are transferred with fiat. Who do you complain
to? Is it President Jonathan the Commander-in-Chief whose
campaign expenses are perceived to be heavily funded by Akwa
Ibom Governor Akpabio who is alleged to be to Jonathan what
Ibori was to Yar’Adua.
Police Commissioner Zukumor was in Akwa Ibom and having advised
Akpabio rightly and professionally but to no avail, he was
transferred off to the North, Niger State or so. He was replaced
by Walter Rugbere that almost everyone in Akwa Ibom knew made
self available to the government in power. He was due for
retirement about a year ago but remained till few months back. A
crack police officer, Sani Magaji took over but after barely
three months was few days back replaced for no reason by Police
Commissioner Felix Uyanna who was arranged by former DIG Udom
Ekpoudom now de facto Security Adviser to Governor Godswill
Akpabio. On the orders of Akpabio and connivance of the
Presidency and the IGP Hafiz Ringim the ACN governorship
candidate, Senator Udoedehe was arrested as if he was the one
that caused the perpetrator of the March 22 Uyo mayhem.
The attack on Senator Udoedehe’s campaign train in Ikot Ekpene
that Tuesday seems to have necessitated a reprisal
attack; but the details
coming over now showed that the Uyo destruction was organized
mostly by PDP-sponsored thugs to give impression it was caused
by ACN supporters. Mr. Akpan, the ACN Akwa Ibom Chairman had
alleged that Akpabio was boasting in his usual way that he has
bribed the Police in Abuja for the change of the newly posted,
hard working Sani Magaji, especially now that the election is
around the corner. Where then are we going to get the promised
free, transparent and fair election?
Similarly in SSS, the governor at will ensured that operatives
were changed if not ready to do his bidding. Recently during the
trial of Dr. Ime Umannah, the ACN deputy governorship candidate
revealed at the Uyo stadium ACN rally how a former incorruptible
SSS officer of Igbo extraction whose report fingered Governor
Akpabio directly and indirectly in many kidnappings and
political killings that have taken place in the State. Because
of this, the man was transferred out. So many scenarios are
playing out and politicians should seek for a better place in
our nation history than what they are engaging in right now.
Mr. Nwadi Okoro, this piece from Wetheral Road, Owerri,
Imo State
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