Former A-Ibom Dep Speaker assassinated

Uyo—The candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC, for Ukanafun state constituency in Akwa Ibom State, Obong Okon Uwah, was, Wednesday night, assassinated. Uwah, who was the Deputy Speaker of the state House of Assembly between 2007 and 2011, was allegedly murdered by political thugs, when he went on a campaign consultation in Ntek, Ukanafun Local Government Area.

Contacted, the state Commissioner of Police Mr. Gabriel Achong, said he could not substantiate the allegation that party thugs killed him, adding that the police command was carrying out its investigations. He said although no arrest had been made in connection with the assassination, he had already directed the Area Commander of Ikot Ekpene Division, the Divisional Police Officers in neighbouring local governments to relocate to Ukanafun to ensure there was peace and order.

Reacting to the development yesterday, Akwa Ibom State chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC, described Uwah’s assassination as unfortunate. Addressing newsmen at the Umana Campaign Organization office at Ewet Housing Estate, Uyo, the Deputy Director-General of APC Campaign Organization, Mr. Effiong Okwong, urged police and the Department of State Services, DSS, to ensure the perpetrators were arrested immediately and brought to justice.

Okwong said those who carried out the assassination must have done so spurred on by the inciting statement by some leaders of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state. Reacting to the assassination, Akwa Ibom State government debunked allegations of its involvement in the murder of the APC candidate. Governor Godswill Akpabio, who spoke through the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Aniekan Umana, said:

“Government regrets that in spite of the accord on peaceful and violence free elections signed by political parties in the state, some miscreants have decided to trample upon the law. “It needs stressing that no person’s political ambition is worth the blood of any citizen of Akwa Ibom State.”