The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Ukanafun/Oruk Anam Federal Constituency, Deacon Eshiet Amos Offiong has given a graphic account of what transpired at the venue of the political campaign of Nkek village in Ukanafun L.G.A where the former deputy speaker of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly and APC candidate for Ukanafun State Constituency, Obong Okon Uwah was killed by some thugs believed to have acted on the instructions of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)

In a release made available to newsmen in Uyo, Deacon Offiong revealed that, “on Wednesday the 18th of March, 2015, the deceased Hon. Okon Joseph Uwah, former Deputy Speaker of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly and the All Progressive Congress (APC) candidate for Ukanafun State Constituency was among the APC members during the House Campaign tour in Nkek village, Ward 3 of Ukanafun Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

The campaign was conducted in the house of Mr. Gideon Udoko who is the husband of the deceased younger sister. At about 5:00pm, some thugs brandishing dangerous weapons and carrying campaign posters of Hon. Emmanuel Isaac Ukoette, the present House of Representatives member representing Ukanafun/Oruk Anam Federal Constituency and the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), appeared at the scene and ordered us to stop further campaigning.

“When we asked why, they reacted violently and told us to leave or be killed because Nkek village is the home town of Hon. Effiom Abai, the current Vice Chairman of Ukanafun Local Government Area and a key supporter of Hon. Emmanuel Ukoette in the area. I appealed to them and gave them money to leave us alone. They left but came back after a while to say that they were asked to kill us as we were not allowed to come to campaign in the village because of Hon. Ukoette’s interest. They descended on us and as the deceased tried to flee through the back door they followed him and beat him to death. I only escaped by sheer stroke of luck and by divine intervention.

“It will be recalled that this incident was foretold during the PDP gubernatorial rally/campaign in Oruk Anam L.G.A on the 24th of January, 2015 when Hon. Ukoette in the presence of the Governor Godswill Akpabio, the PDP Governorship Candidate, Mr. Udom Emmanuel and their spouses among other chieftains of PDP present did threaten to kill or maim opponents of PDP in the coming general elections by saying that people who would not vote for PDP would have their eyes plucked out. This statement surprisingly attracted a deafening ovation and excitement from the audience which was a tacit endorsement of their murderous intentions during the forth coming elections. And true to talk this was carried out at Nkek village in ward 3 of Ukanafun L.G.A by their supporters when they murdered Hon. Okon Uwah in cold blood on Wednesday the 18th of March, 2015 when we went there for campaign.

“After the Oruk Anam rally, I as Hon. Ukoette’s direct opponent in the constituency sent a petition to the Police High Command (copy hereby attached) drawing the attention of the security agency to their threats to life and property during the political campaigns, as if I knew they would surely carry out their threats, aimed at intimidating and scaring away their opponents during the elections.

“In conclusion, I wish to place it on record that the murder of Obong Okon Uwah was politically motivated and pre-meditated by the supporters of Hon. Emmanuel Ukoette. I therefore appeal to the security agencies to fish out, arrest and bring the perpetrators, their accomplices and sponsors to justice.

This is even after the signing of the Peace Accord by all candidates and political parties to refrain from violence and to conduct peaceful and issue based campaigns before, during and after the elections. Our people demand justice seriously on the murder of Hon. Okon Uwah”