Nobody will be persecuted for opposing Gov Emmanuel’s candidate – Govt

The Akwa Ibom State Government has said there is no cause for alarm over Governor Udom Emmanuel’s choice of Mr Umo Eno, the Commissioner of Lands and Water Resources as his successor.

Speaking on Monday in Uyo during a press conference to address the issue which has caused a lot of controversy in the state, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Ini Emembong, said Governor Emmanuel’s preference is his conviction and nobody would be persecuted for making an alternative choice.

• EU donates 2m Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines to Nigeria
• Electoral bill: I’ll advise Buhari against assent if… – Malami

He said there was currently no aspirant but intending aspirants for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as only the party’s primaries would determine who emerges as its flag bearer. 

Meanwhile, youths under the aegis of the Coalition of Akwa Ibom Youth Groups (CAIG), have said it was wrong for Governor Emmanuel to pick a successor which was the mandate of only political parties, and not an individual.

Speaker of the South-South Youth Assembly (SSYA), Comrade Victor Thompson and leader Youth Democratic Movement (YDM), maintained that handpicking a successor before the party’s primary amounted to imposition and an appointment of a governor for the people.