EXCLUSIVE: How Akpabio forced Udom to rent large, uncontrollable crowd for governorship declaration

Gov. Akpabio (left) with Mr. Udom Emmanuel  …… Can Udom survive the scandals and the political fire?

By Nse Peter

The pressure from Governor Godswill Akpabio may have caused the immediate past Secretary to the Akwa Ibom State Government (SSG), Mr. Udom Emmanuel to rent a large, uncontrollable crowd that eventually marred the former SSG’s formal declaration to contest for the 2015 governorship election in the state, Think Akwa Ibom! has learned.

Udom’s rally ends in bloody riot

The less affected part of Nsikak Edouk Avenue, Uyo in the night of Tuesday, 21 Oct, 2014. At the right hand side of the road, you can see two police trucks.

By Effiong Ekong, Uyo

The rally in Uyo today by Udom Emmanuel, former secretary to Akwa Ibom State government, to signal his declaration of intent to contest the governorship primary of the Peoples Democratic Party has snowballed into a bloody riot. As we report, the riot, staged by rented crowds hired to give the declaration a semblance of significance, is spreading along Nsikak Eduok Avenue axis of the city where Udom’s campaign office is located.

2015: Udom Emmanuel’s declaration off to bland start

Mr. Udom Emmanuel

By Effiong Ekong, Uyo

The declaration of interest by Mr. Udom Emmanuel, former secretary to Akwa Ibom State Government, to run for the office of governor of the state, took off to a weak start today at the Uyo township stadium. The rally, which harped on the theme of “sustainable development,” was without most of the major political actors in the state. Notable names at the rally that were not serving appointees of the state government were about three, namely, former milad, Idongesit Nkanga; former minister of housing and urban renewal, Chief Ndueso Essien; and Senator Anietie Okon.