Say No to Ethnic Crisis: Nkanga
The Director General of Godswill/Ekere 2011 Campaign organization, Otuekong Idongesit Nkanga has called on the people of the state to rise up and say no to crisis of ethnic divide.
Otuekong Nkanga made the call at Government House Uyo today when he spoke with reporters in reaction to the violent destruction of lives and property on Tuesday as a result of the clash by people believed to be supporters of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and that of the People Democratic Party (PDP).
He said “the state was witnessing new wave of development and advised those that love peace and development to note that the crisis being instigated through text message is something that can affect one indirectly or directly”.
Otuekong Nkanga appealed to all the citizens of the state to go about their normal businesses explaining “that the struggle is between justice and injustice adding all forces must rise up to make sure evil does not triumph”.
Also speaking, the Senator presenting Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District, Senator Anietie Okon whose vehicles and staff quarters were set ablaze by the hoodlums in his private school, Fortune Secondary School, said the crisis has no ethnic coloration but political.
Senator Etuk said “three Annang people were killed during the crisis in Ikot Ekpene and not the Ibibios as alleged through the bulk messages in circulation” and advised the people of the particularly the Annangs and the Ibibio's to disregard any text message calling for a revenge of the three Annang sons killed during the fracas.
He said the fight was not between the Annang and the Ibibio as alleged but just the figment of the imaginations of the perpetrators of the criminal act.
Senator Etuk questioned the basis for the wanton destruction of property in his school when in the real sense as an Ibibio son from the minority local government is representing predominantly the Annang group adding that there was no reason for killing one another.
The member representing Itu/Ibiono in Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, Otuekong Ita Enang said it is devilish and unbecoming of a civilized society like Akwa Ibom State for people to take up arms against another.
He condemned the crisis and also advised the people in the state to ignore the threat text messages circulating in the state.
According to Otuekong Enang, the future of Akwa Ibom State cannot be entrusted in the hand of any individual who promotes ethnic divides and urged politicians to base their campaigns on issues by telling the electorates what they would do for them rather than smearing other candidates.
Otuekong Enang who is also the senatorial candidate for the north East of the state urged the security agencies to investigate the communication companies whose medium are being used to send the bulk threat text message adding that the texts were capable of causing hatred and more crisis.