The Akwa Ibom state Government has lashed out on APC Presidential Candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu regarding comments he made during his campaign visit to the state on January 30.
In a press release signed by Comrade Ini Ememobong, the Honourable Commissioner for Information and Strategy, the South South state told the former Lagos State Governor to focus on defending his vague manifesto and incoherent history than insult Ibom people.
Switch Nigeria can confirm that at the APC campaign rally, Mr. Tinubu questioned the legitimacy of Governor Emmanuel Udom, who is of the PDP fold.
The statement read:
The Akwa Ibom State Government approved the use of the Nest of Champions (GOA International
Stadium), a state-owned property, by the All Progressives Congress for their Presidential Campaign scheduled for January 30, 2023.
On the scheduled date, the Presidential candidate, Sen. Bola Tinubu, landed at the Victor Attah International Airport, a state-owned and managed airport, without any hitch or hinderance and proceeded to the venue of his campaign, without any negative reaction from the citizens (as witnessed in other states where presidential candidates are stoned by youths in states not controlled by their party).
At the venue, he, Tinubu, without any provocation, went on to hurl insults and threats at the government and people of our state. Questioning the legitimacy of our Governor and threatening to send reptiles to invade the Governor’s lodge and eventually seizing the property.
The Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, in his usual peaceful disposition, has decided not to respond to Tinubu, but it is the duty of government to put some things in their due perspective for history and posterity. We do hereby state as follows:
1. The Government and people of the state did not at any time say or act in any way provocative to the person or campaign of Bola Tinubu. Instead, all the facilities used by his campaign were generously approved for their use, by the government, without any hitch or delay.
2. The residence which Bola Ahmed Tinubu has threatened to take over, totally belongs to the Government of our state and his threat is taken very seriously, considering his antecedents. Conversely, Akwa Ibom has been home to all Nigerians (including Yoruba people), who have, over many years, done business and even resided here, without any threat to them or their business.
3. The comments by Sen. Tinubu, to say the least, is immature and totally unexpected of a person of his advanced age. That is an insult to the Government and people of the state, and we demand an apology.
4. Mr. Udom Emmanuel was duly elected as Governor of Akwa Ibom State and therefore, it is clearly unpresidential and undemocratic, for Sen. Tinubu to say that he “calls himself Governor”.
5. Sen. Tinubu should during his campaigns, concern himself with answering questions about his nebulous history and his amorphous manifestos. The Presidency of our country is a very serious business that must be treated with seriousness and intellectual depth.
The Government advises all her citizens to ignore the vituperations of Sen. Tinubu and continue to co-exist peacefully with all Nigerians who are living and doing legitimate businesses in our state.
