Joe Effiong, Uyo
People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom State has said the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 6, Kimo Musa, should be held responsible for any violence in the state during the general elections.
The party said the state is prepared for elections, not war, and accused the AIG of being partisan and sympathetic to the course of the ruling party at the centre.
He added that the AIG posted out officers who were professional in their duty in preference for officers who had sympathy for the APC.
The Publicity Secretary of the party in the state, Mr Ini Ememobong, told journalists on Friday that many police officers had been threatened with non-promotion if they did not cooperate with the partisan directives of the AIG, while the pliable officer would be favoured.
He stated that the AIG had deployed Godswill Akpabio’s cousin, Idorenyin Akpabio, to man the Anti-Robbery Squad of the police command having relocated to the state for the elections, wondering why the police chief chose Akwa Ibom out of the six states in zone to monitor the elections.
He noted that the AIG’s interest in the state had exposed his plan to use his office to curry illegal favours for the APC, adding he should primarily be held responsible for any crisis or violence before, during or after the elections in the state.
Ememobong said the AIG’s infamous role in Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly crisis when he led five sacked lawmakers to disrupt the activities of the House was evident of his partisanship.
“In Akwa Ibom State, some security chiefs are clearly partisan, remaining only to have their names 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 duty 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 Akwa Ibom 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 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 huge awareness of the civil population aware of their devious schemes, they are hell bent to manifesting their plans irrespective of the opposition to it. This will, therefore be the 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 elections) in Akwa Ibom 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.
But AIG Kimo has described the allegation as baseless, mischievous and an attempt to damage his reputation.
Kimo told our correspondent that he never had any meeting with any police officer in any hotel in Uyo, and stressed that he never knew any hotel by name George Town Hotel.
“I have been deployed to supervise election here in Akwa Ibom State.
“Yesterday 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 and untrue; they are mischievous and you can investigate, ” he said.