Disquiet as ex-governor Emmanuel stripped of security details

There is tension in Akwa Ibom State following the withdrawal of security details attached to the immediate past governor of the state, Mr Udom Emmanuel over the weekend.

Checks revealed that policemen attached to the two houses of the former governor in Akwa Ibom have all been recalled.

The development has raised mixed reactions in the state as some fingered the All Progressives Congress, APC-led State government of being behind it to coerce the former governor to join the party, while others believed that the action was a validation that all was not well between governor Umo Eno and his predecessor, Mr Emmanuel.

Recall that Udom Emmanuel is the political godfather of the incumbent governor Eno, having played an active role in his election as governor under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2023 general elections.

That relationship appears to have waned following Governor Umo Eno’s defection to the APC.

His godfather, Emmanuel, has remained mute all the while but only pledged unalloyed loyalty to the PDP.

Mr Emmanuel’s stance to remain in the PDP and work towards rebuilding the party ahead of the 2027 elections was said to be a threat to the APC state government hence the move to cripple him.

Distancing itself from the incident, Akwa Ibom government through the Commissioner for Information, Mr Aniekan Umana in a press briefing, described as false and misleading media report alleging that it directed the withdrawal of security personnel attached to the ex-governor.

He said the report was intentionally fabricated to mislead the public, adding that deployment of police officers is the sole prerogative of the commissioner of police and not the governor.