…Laments unending legal tussle on Alleged Certificate Forgery

Miffed by unending legal action against the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno over alleged Certificate Forgery which was earlier decided in favor of the governor by the supreme court, a group, Uyo Senatorial District Media Practitioners Forum (USDMPF) has said the latest suit at the Federal High Court Lagos is a ploy to distract the governor and force him to join the All progressive congress (APC).

The group in a press statement endorsed by its Chairman Management Committee, Elder Ofonimeh Isong and made available to Journalists on Monday in Uyo further noted that the ultimate aim of the plotters is to have access to Akwa Ibom State Treasury by all means and at all costs.

According to him, “The intimidation of the governor and his constant harassment in the media and the recent Suit at the Federal High Court in Lagos by the Police are all ploys to distract the governor and force him to eat the APC’s humble pie which is bad and callous.

“Petitioning the INTERPOL on such document that the issuer, the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) had claimed continuously to be theirs, betrays the governor’s traducers as being insensitively evil.

“It is sad and ridiculous that all these merry go round from INTERPOL, to Police IG and to the Federal High Court in Lagos is all about WAEC Certificate of His Excellency Pastor Umo Bassey Eno, a matter long decided by the Supreme Court of the Land.

“The bad losers behind the charade should let Akwa Ibom breathe and should know that their individual interest and the egoistic quest for power cannot supercede the interest of over 7.9 million Akwa Ibom people.

“The truth remains that Pastor Umo Bassey Eno won the election fair and square, got declared as the winner and sworn-in to office as Governor of Akwa Ibom State”

The group in the statement further expressed worry about the unending legal battles and landmines plotted by the opposition to distract the progress of Akwa Ibom governor has made to herald more Peace, Security, Wealth, and Prosperity for the people.

They highlighted that the recent Suit No: FHC/L/CS/1247/2023 instituted by the Inspector General of Police(IGP) through a Motion Ex-Parte seeking documents and records of WAEC from Heads of National Office of WAEC and WAEC itself at the Federal High Court in Lagos concerning a matter which had been decided by the Supreme Court of the Land calls for concern as to why Akwa Ibom State has become of such great interest to Abuja, Nigeria and the IGP.

They added “While the Police is free to engage in its investigation process, a few questions beg for answers simultaneously in this regard.

“Who is the IGP answerable to and from who does he take instructions in Nigeria?

“Why is Akwa Ibom State Post Election case of interest to the IGP to the extent of seeking an Ex-parte Order to compel the WAEC Officials and WAEC itself to avail his investigation Team with examination records of an entire Examination Centre(Victory High School, Ikeja) in Lagos State for the sake of one man?

“The Police is an Agency of government with the primary aim to enforce law and order but finding the Police going back to the matter that went from High Court to Appeal court and up to the Supreme Court and was settled, to begin demanding for fresh documents is really intriguing and calls for concern. Whatever fresh investigation is going on, the police should know that there is a subsisting judgement in REM on the matter which is binding on all.

The USDMPF lamented that these new antics are nothing short of a gang up against Akwa Ibom State Governor to truncate the mandate willingly and overwhelmingly handed the governor by Akwa Ibom people, or intimidate Pastor Umo Bassey Eno to defect to the ruling APC which remains unacceptable as majority of the people know that PDP is like a Religion in the State.

They pleaded, ” The governor needs concentration now to work, not unnecessary distractions continuously fuelled by the opposition and their Abuja collaborators. The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal should be allowed to finish its work.

Akwa Ibom people should rise up and condemn these evil men whose aim is to deface the hard-earned reputation and integrity of the Governor.

“Governor Umo Eno, the true symbol and identity of Akwa Ibom State, shouldn’t for any reason be seen in the image these losers are laboring so hard to portray”.