Gov Udom Did Not Stop Atiku From Meeting Akwa Ibom Delegates- Commissioner

The Akwa Ibom State Government has refuted reports that Governor Udom Emmanuel barred Atiku Abubakar from consulting with delegates from the state.

Atiku, former Vice President, from Adamawa State, is also a presidential aspirant under the platform of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, like Emmanuel.

There were reports that Emmanuel stopped Atiku from meeting delegates to enable the governor have them vote for him during the party’s presidential primary.

But a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Ini Ememobong, on Sunday, said Emmanuel welcomed the visit of Atiku to the state.

He revealed that part of the itinerary of the former Vice President include paying a visit to the governor after meeting the delegates.

He said the report of the governor stopping Atiku from meeting delegates in the state was ‘mischievous’, adding that other aspirants have also visited delegates in the state as they have done across other states in the country.

The statement said,
“The truth is that the Governor who has been in communication and contact with all other presidential aspirants (Atiku Abubakar inclusive) was informed that the former Vice President will be visiting on Monday, 16th May 2022 to meet with delegates and thereafter see him (Gov. Emmanuel) by 4 pm, a proposal that was unhesitatingly accepted.

“It is therefore pure mischief for anyone to insinuate that the Governor is preventing Alhaji Abubakar from seeing delegates. Other presidential aspirants have visited the party in Akwa Ibom without a hitch, so why would Atiku’s be different?

“We urge the entire public to discountenance the fake news and treat it as an act of mischief of the highest order. Our delegates and team are waiting to receive the aspirant on the agreed date and time.”

The PDP holds it presidential primary on the 28th of May.