By Emma Amaize, Harris-Okon Emmanuel & Chioma Onuegbu

PRESIDENTIAL candidate of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar; former Federal Commissioner for Information, Chief Edwin Clark, and Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State, have expressed concern over the alleged use of security agencies by the Federal Government to intimidate opponents.

Atiku Abubakar

They spoke at the meeting of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, the umbrella body of traditional rulers, leaders, and stakeholders of coastal states of Niger-Delta, weekend, at Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

Meanwhile, efforts to get the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed’s reaction on the issue, proved abortive as he told Vanguard he was not in the country.

At the Uyo PANDEF meeting, Abubakar, the former Vice President, represented by his running mate, Mr. Peter Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, said Federal Government was using security agencies to abet and aid what is wrong and listed Akwa Ibom and Rivers as states being used as guinea pigs,

“Nobody is talking. When you talk, you become an enemy,” he said.

He also said there was nothing on the ground in Niger Delta region where the resources of the country were derived, promising that if elected, his administration would focus on turning things around and ensure that the country is governed by the rule of law.

Abubakar, who reaffirmed his commitment to restructuring the country if voted into power, maintained that restructuring the country was the only way to ensure true federalism for the rapid and sustainable development of the country.

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel, in his comments, said: “We want the country to have true federalism so that we will not have all these problems.

“They are using this restructuring to intimidate us in the Niger Delta.”

Clark

Clark frowned on what he described as increasing trend of desecrating the national institutions, particularly the Army and Police by using them for political gains.

His words: “That is why in a place like Bayelsa State, eight Commissioners of Police have been posted and reposted in a matter of three months. Here in Akwa Ibom State, we have continued to see the overtly partisan role which the Police play.”

The elder statesman, however, expressed confidence in the candidacy of Atiku Abubakar, saying “there is no going back on our support, which is informed by the fact that some of the ideals which you stand for are what we believe and insist upon.

“Our expectation is that your government will mainstream the Niger Delta and its people into your master plan for the environment and socio-economic progress of our country.”