…… The dirty politics of Ini LG Chairman
…….Chairman wants to kill us, traditional oath priests cry out
…….I’d warned Commissioner Glory Edet, Ors about returning Idaisin to office – former youth leader
….. I am innocent, political opponents after my reputation – accused chairman
By Ubong Sampson – Uyo
Fresh facts have emerged from reactions to the recent allegations against Chairman of Ini local government area of Akwa Ibom state, Israel Idaisin involving the use of traditional oath locally called “mbiam” by the chairman to commit electorates to his political course.
Recall that barely 48 hours back, a certain Ubong George had taken to social media to call out appeals on Idaisin in a video to come to the rescue of some indigenes of the area who he claimed were being haunted by the traditional oath they were committed to by the chairman in the build up to the last local government elections that saw him elected into office.
Ubong George is a former councillor who represented the chairman’s ward (7) in the Ini Local Government Legislative Council between 2012 to 2015.
In the said video which showed a swollen foot claimed to be that of one the indigenes the chairman committed to the traditional oath, George was heard passing a Save Our Soul Message to the Chairman with whom he pleaded to return to the village and help save the life of victim(s) of the oath, as according to him, some of those who took the oath of allegiance have died, while those alive are said to be suffering from the haunt.
The oath was intended to ensure those who enjoyed any benefit from the chairman for the purpose of supporting his chairmanship ambition must do so, or face being haunted. And in any case where the oath taker defaults in the agreement, whatever deity to which such oath is sworn to, is believed to usually get at the victim by having their bodies gradually swollen until their eventual death.
Chairman Denies Allegation
Meanwhile, Idaisin, when contacted by our correspondent, denied the allegation against him. In further attempt to prove his innocence, the chairman claimed he was being blackmailed because of his rumoured state assembly ambition which he said he has not made any official statement to confirm any interest on his part.
In a statement later issued by his Media Aide, Ndifreke Johnson and published on social media, the chairman had further described the allegations against him as contained in the circulated video as unfounded and being a handiwork of his political opponents who he accused of sponsoring George and his accomplices to ruin his image, while denying ever administering any oath directly or by proxy to anyone.
Clash of Political Interests
Further investigation into the matter confirmed there is an o going clash of political interests among stakeholders in the area. A source simply identified as Isong, who is an indigene of the area, disclosed to our correspondent that the chairman is aligning with the incumbent representative of the area in the state assembly, Emmanuel Ekpenyong who is aspiring for the House of Representatives seat for the areas federal constituency constituted by the area and a sister Ikono local government area. This aspiration, the source said, is against the ambition of the Commissioner for Agriculture in the state, Glory Edet.
Edet is also from the chairman’s area and it is believed that an existing zoning system for the National Assembly lower chamber’s seat favours the area to produce the next representative.
According to Isong, he had observed the chairman’s “dirty” approach to politics during his first term in office and had warned against him being returned for another tenure. He said he had expressed his fears openly to the commissioner, Glory Edet who was then championing the chairman’s course, and that when his warnings fell on deaf ears, he had chosen to wash his hands off, though he knew his refusal to support the course was hardly going to make any difference.
Isong continued that the chairman’s true character first played out when he decided to hoard mini buses he acquired to empower indigenes with, using same to lure support for his second term election, and still hoarding the same buses with the intent of using same to lure another round of support for his state assembly ambition. The buses, Isong said, are still parked in the premises of chairman’s residence at Akwa Savings and Loans Estate in Uyo, the capital city.
The chairman refused to respond to calls and messages that made to engage him on the acquired and hoarded buses allegation.
Commissioner for Agriculture, Glory Edet also did not respond to calls and messages sent to her line by our correspondent for the purpose of clarifying her role in the reelection of Idaisin and her possible knowledge or involvement in the alleged traditional oath practice by the chairman.
Chairman’s alleged intimidation moves
Hours after the video had gone viral on the social media, George, who had in the video confessed to having served as priest in the temple of the chairman’s traditional oath ministry, was back in the media space alarming the public about a threat on his life. According to George and one Emmanuel John who succeeded George as councillor in the chairman’s ward, the chairman has sent hoodlums and the police after them.
Speaking with our correspondent, George said he had gone into hiding in the bush because his life was under threat, as hoodlums sent by the chairman to kill him had invaded his house in the village, vandalised the place and destroyed properties, while also manhandling his wife and new born baby. According to him, a certain Dominic Udo Akpan and a brother to the chairman were mentioned by the wife as part of the hoodlums. George expressed fear over the health situation of his baby, as according to him, he could not even go attend to them and has not seen his family for days because words reaching him had it that the hoodlums are still laying ambush around his house awaiting any sight of him.
Also contacted by our correspondent, Emmanuel John corroborated the threat to life claim by George. In his version, the vandals had destroyed about theee plasma television sets in George’s house, tore his mattresses, beat up his wife and tore her clothes. He added that according to George’s wife, the money she kept in the house got missing after the raid by the hoodlums.
Asked if they have reported the alleged threats on their lives to the security agencies, John said, “we cannot get to the police, because the chairman is using the same police after us. We fear that we might end up being detained if we go there. But the first time the chairman sent his men after me, I had reported to the police”.
The chairman also refused to engage our correspondent who contacted him through calls and messages to have him speak on this, as there was no response from him even as of press time.
