-Says A’Ibom returning to days of political killings
A frontline advocacy group in Akwa Ibom State, Akwa Ibom Liberation Movement (AILM), has urged the state governor, Pastor Umo Eno to take decisive action over the brutal killing of a Ward Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, John Marcus.
The group, in an open letter signed by its national president, Akparawa Prince Emmanuel Sam, alleged that the killing of Mr Marcus was a bad omen to the administration, adding that it was an indication that the state was returning to the days of political killings and insecurities.
Read Full Letter Below 👇
AN OPEN LETTER TO THE GOVERNOR OF AKWA IBOM STATE, HIS EXCELLENCY PASTOR UMO ENO
KILLING OF APC CHAIRMAN: THAT AKWA IBOM MAY NOT RETURN TO THE DARK DAYS OF POLITICAL BLOODLETTING
*Background:*
For many years now, Akwa Ibom State has been generally recognized as the most peaceful and safest State in Nigeria. Beyond the recognition, citizens and residents alike have overwhelmingly alluded to the fact that the State has been largely peaceful and very safe within these years.
It is pertinent to emphasize that this much talked about peace and safety in Akwa Ibom State did not fall from heaven like manna, neither were they attributes added to the State upon its creation. On the contrary, there was an era in the history of Akwa Ibom that millions of people would not want to relive, recall or be reminded of because of the evil that characterized that era effectuated by mindless bloodletting, political killings, kidnappings, etc.
Therefore, the peace and safety that Akwa Ibom has enjoyed in recent years was the outcome of a political, mental, attitudinal, social and cultural revolution inspired by your predecessor, His Excellency Udom Emmanuel, and bequeathed to you on a platter.
*Killing of APC Chairman: A Bad Omen for Your Unity Government:*
Your Excellency, on Sunday, June 29, 2025, Akwa Ibom people received the shocking and sad news of the killing of one Mr John Monday Marcus, Ward Chairman of All Progressives Congress, APC, Ward 2, Ukanafun Local Government Area, in a bloody political clash. I recall vividly that one of the cardinal reasons for your defection to the APC was to lead a Unity Government. However, sadly, the brutal killing of John Marcus, which has been reportedly confirmed by the Police, spells a bad omen for your ‘Unity Government’.
Available facts and statistics show that APC as a party is synonymous to violence. For instance, the whole country was stunned by a viral video where the former National Chairman of APC, Alhaji Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, was almost lynched by a crowd of APC supporters. Many other instances abound. I make bold to say that in Akwa Ibom State, the last time we heard or experienced political killings was between 2007-2015. The closest to it that we experienced again between 2015 to 2023, was the famous Warsaw war where people were killed in Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District during the 2019 election.
Again, it is necessary to remind us of the aftermath of the 2007-2015 dark years which left many Local Government Areas in Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District in a state of terror with serious insecurity. Specifically, places like Etim Ekpo, Ukanafun, Oruk Anam, etc became the epicenter of kidnapping, mass killings, armed robbery, political instability and other forms of insecurities. It can also be recalled that as a result of the killings, the state government under His Excellency Udom Emmanuel, imposed curfew on Etim Ekpo and Ukanafun Local Government Areas, in March 2018.
Unfortunately, the type of political crisis that resulted in the killing of John Marcus, has been very rampant in the State since your defection to the APC. For example, in Ikot Ekpene Local Government, there is an ongoing political struggle between the old members of APC and the newly defected bloc over political leadership of the Local Government. Therefore, there is a growing fear among Akwa Ibom people that the State is slowing returning to the dark years.
*A Call For Action:*
According to a recent report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), 614,937 Nigerians were killed while 2.2million were abducted in one year under the APC led federal government. This is a statistics that Akwa Ibom cannot be part of and as the Chef Security Officer of the State, our fate is largely in your hands. I am calling on you to see the killing of Mr John Marcus as a wake-up call.
God bless you.
Signed:
Akparawa Prince Emmanuel Sam
National President, Akwa Ibom Liberation Movement AILM
30 June, 2025
