JOE EFFIONG,UYO
The apex socio-cultural organisation in Akwa Ibom State, Mboho Mkparawa Ibibio, has asked the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to immediately apologise to Akwa Ibom for making comments considered insulting to the person and office of the governor.
Tinubu during his presidential campaign rally in Uyo, last Monday, he had said “Akwa Ibom, that Boy wey 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, I would just use lizards, pigeons and scorpions and put inside.“
These comments have so far generated a lot of condemnations within and outside Akwa Ibom by individuals, organisations and groups such as the PDP, Akwa Ibom State government, and even Gov. Udom Emmanuel himself.
Reacting to Tinubu’s diatribe against Gov Emmanuel in a press statement titled: ” Bola Tinubu’s Unpresidential Outbursts in Akwa Ibom State” as signed by their international president and secretary general, Akparawa James Edet and Akparawa Basssey Bassey, respectively, the Mboho Mkparawa Ibibio said they are still in shock that, rather than tell Akwa Ibom people what his blueprint is for the nation, “Tinubu resorted to use gutter language to demean the exalted office of the governor, an office he once occupied and cites profusely as his qualification to run for the Presidency of our great nation.”
“Apart from the unbecoming reference to His Excellency, Governor Udom Emmanuel as, ‘that boy’, he dismissed a sitting Governor as an impostor, by insinuation. Then he condescends with threats to forcefully evicting Governor Udom Emmanuel from his official residence in Lagos State. One joke taken too far, which could be misinterpreted by misguided supporters to breach the peace.
“Whereas Mboho Mkparawa Ibibio is totally non aligned to any political party and would ordinarily have wished to leave this to politicians, it is however our considered opinion that this disrespectful act is directed against a prominent Ibibio son and a revered member of our organization, who by the grace of God is the sitting Governor of Akwa Ibom State.
“We accordingly consider this distasteful comment as smacking of intolerance, prejudice and ethnic jingoism which is capable of inciting strife between Ibibios and their Yoruba brethren with whom they have cohabited for decades without any rancour.
“We condemn in very strong terms the veiled threats directed at our son and Governor of our State by Tinubu and charge him to be measured, circumspect and responsible in his utterances as a leader while campaigning.
“Consequently, Mboho Mkparawa Ibibio demands an unreserved apology from Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the insult on our people, as an insult to our Governor is by extension an insult to Ibibio people and Akwa Ibom State.
“Mboho Mkparawa Ibibio commends His Excellency, Governor Udom Emmanuel for his principled stand to stay on issue based campaign and not join issues with Tinubu despite the provocation.
“Mboho Mkparawa Ibibio hereby calls on all political parties and politicians to conduct themselves peacefully and responsibly throughout the electioneering processes and avoid actions that will heat up the polity.” The group said.