Anxiety over whereabouts of A’Ibom ACN gov candidate

ANXIETY on Monday trailed the whereabouts of the governorship candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria in Akwa Ibom State, Mr. John Akpanudoedehe, as the ACN claimed that he was whisked to an unknown destination from his police detention cell in Abuja. Although details of his disappearance were still sketchy as at press time, his wife, Justin, and lawyer, Mr. Niyi Akintola (SAN), told journalists in Abuja that Akpanudoedehe was taken to an unknown destination by a five-seater Chopper (helicopter). He alleged that efforts made to contact him had proved abortive. Speaking in Akintola’s office in Abuja, Mrs. Akpanudoedehe raised the alarm that there were plans to kill her husband. She alleged that her husband’s problem started during the March 22 ACN rally in Ikot-Ekpene when he and other party followers the party supporters were allegedly attacked by Peoples Democratic Party supporters who were said to be loyal to Governor Godswill Akpabio. She said, “The policemen were there but couldn’t rescue us. It was a MOPOL that God used to rescue us. My husband is suffering for what he does not know. When I wanted to see my husband, I was told that he has been taken away by a police chopper. “I am begging everybody to tell Governor Akpabio and the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Hafiz Ringim, to release my husband. “President Goodluck Jonathan has stated that nobody should use peoples blood to win election. But they want to use my husband’s blood to win election in Akwa Ibom State.” Akintola claimed that he had just been informed that three out of the 45 ACN supporters who were arrested in Akwa Ibom State had been reported dead. He said, “Information just reaching me from Akwa Ibom State has it that out of the 45 people who were arraigned at a Federal High Court in Uyo on Friday, three of them were said to have died of food poisoning. “No plea was taken and all of them were remanded. Just this (Monday) evening, three of the suspects have reportedly died. “We have perfected the bail papers and all the conditions have been satisfied. I instructed my lawyers to accompany the bailiffs to get him freed. But we were told that he has been taken away. “Ordinarily, by this court order, nobody could detain him further for a minute. We as defence counsel have decided to file necessary papers in Abuja and Uyo to know where he is being kept and for what reason.” Meanwhile, the ACN has raised the alarm over the alleged threat to the life of Akpanudoedehe. The party alleged that Akpanudoedehe was “flown unaccompanied by any of his aides” in a helicopter to Uyo on Monday. The ACN made the allegation in a statement titled ‘Sen. Akpanudoedehe’s life is in danger, ACN cries out!,’ and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed. A copy of the statement was sent to THE PUNCH via e-mail. The party said its concern was in view of what appeared to be the glaring partisanship of the police in handling the Akwa Ibom case. It also alleged that 41 ACN supporters in the state were arrested for being in possession of brooms, the party’s symbol. The statement read in part, “Three of the 41 ACN supporters who were arrested and slammed into detention were reported to have died. How can we then not be worried by the safety of our governorship candidate under the circumstances? “We hope this idea of flying Akpanudoedehe to Uyo, ostensibly to arraign him in court there after the police virtually abducted him right inside a court in Abuja in a crude manner is not aimed at subjecting him to the final solution.” The party warned that nothing untoward must happen to Akpanudoedehe. It alleged that since he was now held captive by the police, the force would be held responsible for his safety. The party urged the IG to respect the law in handling the delicate issue since no citizen was above the law. Also, the Chairman of the ACN in Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Aniekan Akpan, has said that nobody could confirm the whereabouts of Akpanudoedehe. He said, “As much as we know, in the afternoon, his aides called us on the telephone that the police whisked him away in a helicopter. We have not seen him. So, we don’t want to say much. You should ask the police about the information. By Friday Olokor, John Alechenu and Etim Ekpimah Courtesy Of: Punch