Attempt by former Acting National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator John James Akpanudoedehe, Resident Electoral Commissioner, Barrister Mike Igini, in collaboration with the state Commissioner of Police, Andrew Amiengheme, to divert election materials meant for the Primaries in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, was on Thursday foiled by a detachment of members of the Directorate of State Security Service (DSS).
Sources informed that Udoedehe, Chief Don Etiebet and one Uyo Nathaniel stormed the Victor Attah International Airport, in an attempt to hijack election materials and divert same to Sheer Grace Arena, venue of a parallel primaries.
Having failed at the airport, Udoedehe mobilised his thugs to waylay the team as they approached the party secretariat venue of the legally recognised leadership of the party. The election panel members were held hostage by Udoedehe’s thugs for over four hours, while Igini and the state Police Commissioner were waiting anxiously for the arrival of the materials at the unrecognised venue.
It was also gathered that while the election officers were held hostage, there were attempts with by Udoedehe’s thugs to set the vehicle that conveyed election materials and the panel members ablaze.
SOS calls to the state Commissioner of Police were not picked. It took the intervention of the DSS to disperse the thugs who had started shooting sporadically to scare party supporters away from the scene inorder to run away with election materials and the officials.
After dispersing the hoodlums, the security operatives drove the election officials and materials to their facility for safety.
Sheer Grace Arena, is Udoedehe’s permanent venue for the organization of his parallel congresses, while he was the acting national secretary of the party.
