Follow Us on Google
JOE EFFIONG, UYO
The Akwa Ibom State Chapter of New Nigeria People’s Party (NPP) has accused the All Progressives Party (APP) of trying to arm twist the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to bend the Electoral Acts in order to accommodate the APC candidates that did not meet the requirements for the 2023 general election.
NNPP has also urged the police to go ahead and urgently prosecute some officials of APC found culpable in forgery allegations so as to act as a deterrent to other politicians and Nigerians in general.
Addressing the press on Tuesday in Uyo, the state publicity secretary of NNPP, Mr Solomon Johnny, asked to journalists to help the party raise the alarm that any party that did not meet the requirements of the law should not use the court to ambush INEC and the people of Akwa Ibom State to foist itself on the State in the contest.
“It is important that when people run foul of the law, they face the consequences of their actions. You may be aware that the Nigerian Police Force has concluded their investigation on the forgery accusation that was slammed on the “State Chairman” of the APC, Stephen Ntokekpo.
:The police did establish a prima facie evidence of forgery and perjury against Mr Ntokekpo and has recommended that he be prosecuted. That is why we are taking this intelligence that we have very seriously.
“We are asking INEC and NJC to alert the courts not to lend itself to the plot to reopen the electoral processes for any party to remedy her excesses and abuse of due process ” , the party scribe said.
He reasoned that as a party that wants to form the next government in Akwa Ibom State, it was necessary to inform the people about the agenda the party for the State having started the process to change the PDP government in Akwa Ibom far back as 2007, when it was obvious that the government had failed in providing security to the people and welfare.
“We have the issue of Distinguished Senator John Udoedehe who is the face of opposition in Akwa Ibom State moving to the NNPP, where he is the governorship candidate now. Nothing has changed. The structures and forces that wanted change in Akwa Ibom State have moved with him to the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP.
“Therefore the party is strong and capable of unseating the ruling PDP in Akwa Ibom State. But unseating PDP for what reasons? We have an Agenda to cure the most dangerous and compelling needs of Akwa Ibom State which is poverty, hunger and unemployment.
“Senator John Udoedehe has an economic stimulus plan which will act as first aid to poverty, unemployment and hunger. He intends to empower 1000 persons in each Local Government Areas of Akwa Ibom State with N1 million each to run small and medium scale enterprises to become self-sufficient and generate employment no matter how small to others.
“We have calculated that if Akwa Ibom State gives NNPP the opportunity to form the next government by electing Senator John Udoedehe as governor, each year, about 31,000 people would have been so empowered to defeat poverty and in four years that a tenure runs, about 124,000 citizens would have been lifted above the poverty and unemployment mark.
” If in four years, we are able to create this number of employment through this scheme, we would have succeeded in reducing poverty by 45% in four years. Note that poverty currently stands at 57%. That is our practical way of addressing unemployment which is the cause of poverty and hunger if Senator John Udoedehe is elected.” The party spokesman said..
He asked Akwa Ibom people to know that the 2023 election would be between government and opposition as such they must not confuse themselves and vote back PDP parading as opposition.
