Obong Umana Umana, the candidate of the
All Progressives Congress, APC in the
recent governorship election in Akwa Ibom
State in this interview, with the Vanguard’s
political editor, EMMANUEL AZIKEN,
reviews the conduct of the election and the
options before him. Excerpts:
Elections have come and gone. Is it a
forgotten matter?
The elections cannot be forgotten for me
and the good people of Akwa Ibom State.
We are challenging the outcome of the
purported governorship, State House of
Assembly and the National Assembly
elections at the tribunals.
But some are asking why don’t you do like
the PDP presidential candidate and
congratulate the declared winner of the
election?
I would have been happy to do so if we
had had valid elections and the election
had been properly conducted under the
terms and conditions stipulated by law.
But that was far from being the case in
Akwa Ibom because what we witnessed
were elections that were characterised by
widespread violence. Over 30 persons
were killed and there were gross
irregularities.
I was the governorship candidate of the
APC and even as a candidate I was not
allowed to vote. On the 11th of April,
2015 I went to my polling unit as was
expected for the accreditation exercise.
When I got there, I met other voters who
had been stranded because the electoral
materials were not brought by the INEC
ad-hoc staff who were expected to bring
the electoral materials.
After two, three hours of waiting in vain
the presiding officer finally arrived and
announced to all of us that on his way to
the polling unit that he was attacked by
thugs and the materials taken away. So,
we couldn’t vote. I also received text
messages showing that what happened to
me was not an isolated case. It was the
same experience in over 90% of the
polling units around the state.
In some cases where materials were
delivered, after accreditation, thugs who
were heavily armed and who wore police
uniform went round to take away the
materials, including ballot papers and
result sheets. Those who tried to resist
them were shot and that is why over 30
persons were killed in Akwa Ibom. We
have photographs and names of those
who were killed. Thanks to technology in
some cases, some of the voters were able
to record these acts of violence on video.
So, what was the response of INEC to this?
Surprisingly, those who should have
acted came out looking helpless, no
action was taken. After my experience in
my polling unit, I went to see the
electoral officer of my local government
and informed him of what happened.
His response to me was to say that he
had released electoral materials as was
expected of him and that if there was a
failure of security that the materials
couldn’t get to the prescribed polling
unit that he could not be held
responsible.
I then said to him, that you have a
responsibility that these elections are
conducted according to law asking him
why should he sit in his office expecting
that results will come in? So, I was
frustrated and had to leave and the
reports that came to me throughout the
state through text messages were
forwarded to AIG Bolanta, the man we
were told had come to ensure that
adequate security be provided for the
election.
Based on our experience during the
presidential election, we had asked that
adequate security be provided and that
the commissioner of police and the REC
should be redeployed. But nothing was
done. He went to Ibeno where two
persons were killed and confirmed it
and I could see that he too was
overwhelmed because this was
something that was well planned, well
coordinated and I think it was state
terrorism. It wasn’t election.
And we had warned the appropriate
authority because we received
intelligence weeks before the election
that they had procured over 400 new
buses, we knew where these buses were
parked in the Government House. We
told them that these buses would be
branded and used to convey thugs
during the election, we raised the alarm,
wrote to the IG, DG SSS and nothing was
done. When we heard that police
uniform were being sewn we also raised
the alarm, nothing was done.
So, it was not that these things were not
expected, but it was a total failure on the
part of those who should have acted. So,
we were totally helpless. We were really,
really pained. Because if the authorities
had acted based on the intelligence we
had provided, maybe the story would
have been different.
The REC in Akwa Ibom has alleged that his
life is under threat. Do you see any
connection between what he said and what
happened?
I am not aware that his life is under
threat.
Did you tell the REC these things you said
happened?
Yes and somebody like him should be
made to account. On the night of the
governorship election by 6.00 p.m. we
went round the entire state with other
leaders of the state and no coalition was
taking place in any of the ward collation
centres, no collation was taking place in
any of the local government collation
centres except one local government,
Urueooffong. When we confirmed that
collation wasn’t taking place we now
ended up at the INEC headquarters in
Uyo and asked to see the REC.
We were told he was in the office before
arrival but when we arrived he refused
to see us and somebody came out and
told us he was the head of ICT and that
the REC was not in. But from what we
could see outside, a good portion of the
entire office was in darkness, meaning
no activity was taking place and this was
the night of the election when people
should have been very, very busy.
Why? Because collation was not taking
place anywhere as result sheets were
being filled up and ballot papers were
being thumb printed in the houses of
PDP leaders, while nothing was
happening in the designated collation
centres.
But there was the report of APC leader who
was also implicated?
That was actually false and is not a
member of our party and was a member
of the PDP and it was all stage managed
and the court has thrown out the case.
If the incumbent governor were to meet you
now and ask you to join him in building the
state, what would your reaction be?
It is not about how I feel as a person and
it is not about personal interest, view or
inclination. It is about what is right for
the people of Akwa Ibom State and what
is right for posterity and what would
strengthen democracy in Nigeria. If the
elections had been properly conducted I
would have been the first person to
congratulate him. But the situation
where we had no election and over 30
persons were killed, I would be doing a
disservice to my people, I would be
doing a disservice to my country Nigeria
if I don’t challenge what happened in
Akwa Ibom.
I also believe that those who committed
electoral crimes, those who were
involved in killings should be made to
face justice so that what happened in
Akwa Ibom and maybe, Rivers will
never happen again in Nigeria. How do
you compensate the people of Akwa
Ibom State who were not allowed to
freely vote for who should be their
governor? You cannot compensate them,
it is a crime against humanity especially
if the perpetrators of that crime are
allowed to benefit from the crime.
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