TheCable

Candidates of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom State who are challenging the outcome of the general elections are reportedly planning to attack the election petitions tribunal and INEC.

A socio-political group in the state, Akwa Ibom Liberation Movement, made the allegation in a statement.

It said it is aware of a grand plot by candidates of the party to plant fake news on both print and new media to discredit the tribunal and the election umpire.

“The respective teams are working for different candidates of the party. Their mandate is to create and circulate stories to discredit INEC and the PDP, and plant indicting reports against the tribunal as though they are sponsored by the PDP,” Emmanuel Sam, leader of the group said in a statement.

“Our Intel shows that Mr. Nsima Ekere, Senator Godswill Akpabio, Hon. Emmanuel Akpan and virtually all candidates of the APC who are at the tribunal have set up propangada teams specifically for the tribunal. Their job is to flood the public space with lopsided reports on the proceedings of the tribunal, with the aim to stir fear in the people and distort public opinion against the tribunal and the ruling party.”

The group has called on the APC to accept the loss it suffered in the elections and join hands with the winners of the election to “build a virile state” where all shades of interests is protected under one leadership.

Sam said any Akwa Ibom person who is seeking public office and yet uses his wealth to hire people to cause fear, disharmony and disunity in the state does not have the interest of the the people at heart.

The group called on members of the APC who lost the elections and are yet seeking redress at the tribunal, to pursue their cases within the confines of the law and deserving decorum.