A pressure group, Akwa Ibom Liberation Movement, has raised the alarm over what it described as possible post election violence in Akwa Ibom state.

Elections

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The just concluded governorship and state house of assembly elections in Akwa Ibom state has been adjudged generally as being peaceful despite pockets of violence in parts of the state.

The leader of the group, Prince Emmanuel Sam, during a media briefing in Uyo on Saturday evening said intelligence gathered by the movement shows that agents of a certain political party were planning to foment trouble.

In his words, “the Governorship and State Assembly elections have been so peaceful in the state, except some few spots where there are crises.

“In the whole, we can conclude that elections in Akwa Ibom State have been peaceful. We commend the security agents for providing necessary protection for citizens of the state to cast their votes”.

“Reports from our field workers show  that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has won in almost all the local government areas, but as an impartial body, our concern is not who is leading in the elections, but the pending crisis that is about to envelop the state.”

“We have gathered from our field workers that some elements from the All Progressives Congress, APC in connivance with some security agents, have moved into various local government collation centres across the state to disrupt collation of results from all the units and wards.”

“Let it be known to security agents currently in Akwa Ibom State, that the people have spoken through their votes, as such, they should not assist individual or group of individuals to subvert the will of the masses”, he admonished.

He appealed to the INEC REC, Mr. Mike Igini, to keep to his words by announcing only the results published in various polling units of the state.

In addition, the group’s leader also called on the international community, European Union Observer group to follow activities at all the collation centres in the local governments.

“We urge them to withdraw VISAs of all those who want to incite violence in the state and that of their children.

“Akwa Ibom State people have spoken through the sanctity of ballot and must be respected.”

Read the full text of the media briefing below.

“As we have seen, the Governorship and State Assembly elections have been so peaceful in the state, except some few spots where there were crises. In the whole, we can conclude that elections in Akwa Ibom State have been peaceful. We commend the security agents for providing necessary protection for citizens of the state to cast their votes.

Fillers from our field workers in virtually all the 2,900 polling units across the state show that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has won almost all the local government areas. As impartial body, our concern is not who is leading in the elections, but the pending crisis that is about to envelop the state.

We have gathered from our field workers that All Progressives Congress, APC gubernatorial candidate, leaders of the party in connivance with security agents, have moved into various local government collation centres across the state to disrupt collation of results from all the units and wards.

Let it be known to security agents currently in Akwa Ibom State, that the people have spoken through their votes, as such, they should not assist any individual or group of individuals to subvert the will of the masses.

We call on the INEC REC, Mr. Mike Igini to keep to his words by announcing only the results published in various polling units of the state.

We call on the Federal Government, Military and the Police hierarchy, to instruct their men not to assist any politician in his heinous act.

We also call on the international community, European Union Observer group to follow activities at all the collation centres in the local governments.

We urge them to withdraw VISAs of all those who want to incite violence in the state and that of their children. Akwa Ibom State people have spoken through the sanctity of ballot and must be respected.”