Elections in Akwa Ibom turned into state terrorism — UMANA, APC Gov candidate

Obong Umana Umana, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC in the recent governorship election in Akwa Ibom State in this interview, with the Vanguard’s political editor, EMMANUEL AZIKEN, reviews the conduct of the election and the options before him. Excerpts:

Elections have come and gone. Is it a forgotten matter?

The elections cannot be forgotten for me and the good people of Akwa Ibom State. We are challenging the outcome of the purported governorship, State House of Assembly and the National Assembly elections at the tribunals.

But some are asking why don’t you do like the PDP presidential candidate and congratulate the declared winner of the election?

I would have been happy to do so if we had had valid elections and the election had been properly conducted under the terms and conditions stipulated by law. But that was far from being the case in Akwa Ibom because what we witnessed were elections that were characterised by widespread violence. Over 30 persons were killed and there were gross irregularities.

I was the governorship candidate of the APC and even as a candidate I was not allowed to vote. On the 11th of April, 2015 I went to my polling unit as was expected for the accreditation exercise. When I got there, I met other voters who had been stranded because the electoral materials were not brought by the INEC ad-hoc staff who were expected to bring the electoral materials.

After two, three hours of waiting in vain the presiding officer finally arrived and announced to all of us that on his way to the polling unit that he was attacked by thugs and the materials taken away. So, we couldn’t vote. I also received text messages showing that what happened to me was not an isolated case. It was the same experience in over 90% of the polling units around the state.

In some cases where materials were delivered, after accreditation, thugs who were heavily armed and who wore police uniform went round to take away the materials, including ballot papers and result sheets. Those who tried to resist them were shot and that is why over 30 persons were killed in Akwa Ibom. We have photographs and names of those who were killed. Thanks to technology in some cases, some of the voters were able to record these acts of violence on video.

So, what was the response of INEC to this?

Surprisingly, those who should have acted came out looking helpless, no action was taken. After my experience in my polling unit, I went to see the electoral officer of my local government and informed him of what happened. His response to me was to say that he had released electoral materials as was expected of him and that if there was a failure of security that the materials couldn’t get to the prescribed polling unit that he could not be held responsible.

I then said to him, that you have a responsibility that these elections are conducted according to law asking him why should he sit in his office expecting that results will come in? So, I was frustrated and had to leave and the reports that came to me throughout the state through text messages were forwarded to AIG Bolanta, the man we were told had come to ensure that adequate security be provided for the election.

Based on our experience during the presidential election, we had asked that adequate security be provided and that the commissioner of police and the REC should be redeployed. But nothing was done. He went to Ibeno where two persons were killed and confirmed it and I could see that he too was overwhelmed because this was something that was well planned, well coordinated and I think it was state terrorism. It wasn’t election.

And we had warned the appropriate authority because we received intelligence weeks before the election that they had procured over 400 new buses, we knew where these buses were parked in the Government House. We told them that these buses would be branded and used to convey thugs during the election, we raised the alarm, wrote to the IG, DG SSS and nothing was done. When we heard that police uniform were being sewn we also raised the alarm, nothing was done.

So, it was not that these things were not expected, but it was a total failure on the part of those who should have acted. So, we were totally helpless. We were really, really pained. Because if the authorities had acted based on the intelligence we had provided, maybe the story would have been different.

The REC in Akwa Ibom has alleged that his life is under threat. Do you see any connection between what he said and what happened?

I am not aware that his life is under threat.

Did you tell the REC these things you said happened?

Yes and somebody like him should be made to account. On the night of the governorship election by 6.00 p.m. we went round the entire state with other leaders of the state and no coalition was taking place in any of the ward collation centres, no collation was taking place in any of the local government collation centres except one local government, Urueooffong. When we confirmed that collation wasn’t taking place we now ended up at the INEC headquarters in Uyo and asked to see the REC.

We were told he was in the office before arrival but when we arrived he refused to see us and somebody came out and told us he was the head of ICT and that the REC was not in. But from what we could see outside, a good portion of the entire office was in darkness, meaning no activity was taking place and this was the night of the election when people should have been very, very busy.

Why? Because collation was not taking place anywhere as result sheets were being filled up and ballot papers were being thumb printed in the houses of PDP leaders, while nothing was happening in the designated collation centres.

But there was the report of APC leader who was also implicated?

That was actually false and is not a member of our party and was a member of the PDP and it was all stage managed and the court has thrown out the case.

If the incumbent governor were to meet you now and ask you to join him in building the state, what would your reaction be?

It is not about how I feel as a person and it is not about personal interest, view or inclination. It is about what is right for the people of Akwa Ibom State and what is right for posterity and what would strengthen democracy in Nigeria. If the elections had been properly conducted I would have been the first person to congratulate him. But the situation where we had no election and over 30 persons were killed, I would be doing a disservice to my people, I would be doing a disservice to my country Nigeria if I don’t challenge what happened in Akwa Ibom.

I also believe that those who committed electoral crimes, those who were involved in killings should be made to face justice so that what happened in Akwa Ibom and maybe, Rivers will never happen again in Nigeria. How do you compensate the people of Akwa Ibom State who were not allowed to freely vote for who should be their governor? You cannot compensate them, it is a crime against humanity especially if the perpetrators of that crime are allowed to benefit from the crime.