Akwa Ibom Government Demands Apology From Tinubu For Insulting, Gov Emmanuel And Indigenes

The Akwa Ibom State government has vowed to take seriously, the threats made by the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu to send reptiles to invade the Governor’s Lodge in the state and eventually seize the property.

The state government in a statement issued on Wednesday by the state commissioner for information and strategy, Ini Ememobong, berated the former Lagos State governor for calling Governor Udom Emmanuel “a boy” and hurling what it described as “unwarranted, uncharitable and anachronistic” on the people of the state without provocation.

The state government asked Tinubu to tender a public apology to the state governor and the people of the state. It said the APC candidate should rather concern himself with answering questions about his “nebulous history and his amorphous manifestos” as the matter of Nigeria’s presidency is a very serious business that must be treated with seriousness and intellectual depth.

The statement read, “The Akwa Ibom State Government approved the use of the Nest of Champions (GOA International Stadium), a state-owned property, by the All Progressives Congress for their Presidential Campaign scheduled for January 30, 2023.

“On the scheduled date, the Presidential candidate, Sen. Bola Tinubu, landed at the Victor Attah International Airport, a state-owned and managed airport, without any hitch or hindrance and proceeded to the venue of his campaign, without any negative reaction from the citizens (as witnessed in other states where presidential candidates are stoned by youths in states not controlled by their party).

“At the venue, he, Tinubu, without any provocation, went on to hurl insults and threats at the government and people of our state. Questioning the legitimacy of our Governor and threatening to send reptiles to invade the Governor’s lodge and eventually seizing the property.

“The Governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel, in his usual peaceful disposition, has decided not to respond to Tinubu, but it is the duty of the government to put some things in their due perspective for history and posterity. we do hereby state as follows:

“The Government and people of the state did not at any time say or act in any way provocative to the person or campaign of Bola Tinubu. Instead, all the facilities used by his campaign were generously approved for their use by the government without any hitch or delay.

“The residence which Bola Ahmed Tinubu has threatened to take over totally belongs to the Government of our state and his threat is taken very seriously, considering his antecedents. Conversely, Akwa Ibom has been home to all Nigerians (including Yoruba people) who have over many years, done business and even resided here without any threat to them or their business.

“The comments by Sen. Tinubu, to say the least, is (sic) immature and totally unexpected of a person of his advanced age. That is an insult to the Government and people of the state, and we demand an apology.

“Mr. Udom Emmanuel was duly elected as Governor of Akwa Ibom State and therefore, it is clearly unpresidential and undemocratic for Sen. Tinubu to say that he ‘calls himself governor’.

“Sen. Tinubu should, during his campaigns, concern himself with answering questions about his nebulous history and his amorphous manifestos. The Presidency of our country Is a very serious business that must be treated with seriousness and intellectual depth.

“The Government advises all her citizens to ignore the vituperations of Sen. Tinubu and continue to co-exist peacefully with all Nigerians who are living and doing legitimate business in our state.”

Also speaking on Tinubu’s outing in the state, Governor Emmanuel in a video making the rounds on the internet questioned Tinubu’s actions, including calling him a boy, pointing out that if he should return the insults, Tinubu will be unable to bear it.