RE-OPEN LETTER TO ACTING PRESIDENT AND COMMANDER-IN- CHIEF OF THE NIGERIAN ARMED FORCES, DR. GOODLUCK EBELE JONATHAN (GCON)

POSITIVE CHANGE 2011

(The Governorship Campaign Organization of Senator John James Akpan Udoedehe)

49, UDO OTUNG UBO STREET,

UYO, AKWA IBOM STATE, NIGERIA.

RE-OPEN LETTER TO ACTING PRESIDENT AND COMMANDER-IN- CHIEF OF

THE NIGERIAN ARMED FORCES, DR. GOODLUCK EBELE JONATHAN (GCON)










ATTENTION:

NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER (NSA)

INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE (IG)

DIRECTOR GENERAL, STATE SECURITY SERVICE (SSS)

DIRECTOR OF MILITARY INTELLIGENCE (DMI)



Our attention has been drawn to an open letter at page 55 of The Nation of Wednesday, May 5, 2010, signed by one Cosmas John Ebiye. Though the letter was addressed to Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, we suppose it was written to Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, Acting President and Commander-In- Chief of the Armed Forces as he was then addressed. We are amazed that the writer, whose surname (Ebiye) suggests is of the Niger Delta ancestry, does not know the correct name of Mr. President and has chosen to display such daftness on the pages of newspapers. And it is likely that he is anything other than an Engineer, which professional title he attached to his name in the said letter.



However, having read the write up, we sincerely share his sentiments on the compelling need by government and the relevant security forces to tame the tide of the growing spate of insecurity in the country. But strongly, we take great exception to his ill-motivated attempt to erroneously accuse distinguished Senator John Akpan Udoedehe of promoting or supporting arms deal or any other act of criminality either in Akwa Ibom State, or any other part of the country.



We are persuaded to think that Mr. Ebiye has ulterior motives other than his veiled concern for the ugly security situation in the country. And we formally invite the Federal Government and relevant Security Agencies to note that beyond Mr. Ebiye’s failed attempt to tarnish the reputation of Senator Udoedehe, his hasty conclusion are a serious indictment on the Federal Government and the Security Agencies. We have every course to believe that no government or security agency worth its salt would close its eyes against reported incident of arms deal. And we hope the relevant security agencies had taken the necessary steps to investigate the recently reported seizure of arms by men of the Nigerian Customs at the seaport. Therefore we view Mr. Ebiye’s conclusion first, as a timely clarion call on the Federal Government and the relevant Security Agencies to make public its findings on the matter. And as a political campaign organization committed to peaceful democratic change in the forthcoming elections, we condemn in its entirety, the barbaric acts in the use of arms, thugs and violence to undermine democratic actions. Consequently, we formally appeal to the government and the relevant security agencies to expose and prosecute those behind the reported arms deal to serve as a deterrent to others with such criminal intentions.



Also, it is our thinking that Mr. Ebiye has a lot more to offer to assist the government and the security agencies get to the root of the purported incident of hiring thugs for the 2011 gubernatorial election in Akwa Ibom State. For Instance, though Mr. Ebiye has admitted in his write up that Senator Udoedehe denied reports that he has engaged the services of thugs to wrest power from Godwill Akpabio in 2011, he holds the view that Senator Udoedehe’s response was not strong enough because distinguished Senator Udoedehe did not sue the publishing outfit for damages. Mr. Ebiye’s interest in the matter cannot be ordinary and his informants cannot be people far from the circle of perpetrators of this crime. It is either he masterminded the report; has a cordial working relationship with the yet-to-be-identifie d thugs or a vested interest in the publishing outfit, or both. While we view his concern for a legal action against the publishing outfit as distracting and unnecessary, we formally request the relevant security agencies to invite him to make further statements that would facilitate conclusive investigation on the matter. Similarly, we ask that the report of such investigation be made public in the interest of our democracy.



On our part, we wish to reiterate our resolve to remain focused and committed to our divine and non-negotiable mandate of effecting the much-needed political change in Akwa Ibom State come 2011 through a peaceful, sensible and merited electoral victory. We view the activities of Mr. Ebiye and those of similar agents employed by the prevailing ebbing political order in the state as a grand strategy to distract our attention. And we wish to reassure our teeming supporters that no amount of intimidation or cheap blackmail shall derail our focus.



We feel a deep sense of duty to inform the public that a palpable tension and deep-seated fear of the imminent defeat at next year’s polls has engulfed the cabal in government. Consequently, the administration regards Senator Udoedehe as the enemy that must be eliminated at all cost. Out of desperation, this network of criminals has marshaled out vicious plans to tarnish the high reputation and overwhelming popularity of Senator Udoedehe, and by extension the massive support enjoyed by Positive Change project.



For instance, it is widely rumored that the criminal agents of the administration have perfected plans to plant bombs and other explosive devices in selected government properties and public offices in the state and systematically blow up such properties on the pretext that this heinous crime is sponsored by Senator John Akpan Udoedehe. Their motive is to later assemble members of their criminal gangs to own up and openly accuse Senator Udoedehe of masterminding these crimes to give this government the grounds it is desperately looking for to get Senator Udoedehe arrested; tried on trump up charges and detained to prevent him from contesting the forthcoming gubernatorial election in 2011.



It is a burning question why the government of Akwa ibom State with all the security apparatus and financial resources at its disposal has not been able to curb the ever-rising wave of crime in the state. Could this not be a clear indication that the present administration has failed to provide the fundamental prerequisite of government namely: security of life and property?



We unequivocally assert that Senator Udoedehe, as a private citizen, does not have the financial resources, criminal network and security apparatus that are used in promoting the prevailing wave and scale of crime in the state. It is those in government that are using the resources in the state to sustain the despicable rate of criminality in the state. Thus we patriotically invite the Federal Government and Security Agencies to act expeditiously to put an end to this hopelessness and salvage our people from criminal acts promoted by agents of government to create fear and colonize our people and their commonwealth.



Contrary to the gospel of calumny spread by opposing political forces, Senator Udoedehe is a committed patriot, a distinguished democrat and an astute politician with robust integrity. He is a God-fearing leader who aims at a higher degree of intellect than what is exhibited by the opposing political order. Senator Udoedehe has no criminal antecedent and is stoutly opposed to the prevailing thuggery, intimidation, violence, kidnapping, killing, ethnicity, recklessness and wastefulness that is in the order of the day in Akwa Ibom State. It is the enveloping atmosphere of hopelessness that Senator Udoedehe’s administration is set to change in 2011.



We have noted that in a desperate attempt to whip up public sentiments for an unmerited second term in office, agents of government have resorted to making harmful speculations and undertaking series of undemocratic political activities and criminal aggression. In the face of the advancing tide of mass resentment over the activities of this corrupt and wasteful government and their commitment for a change, we commiserate with the impotence of their efforts to turn back the rising wave of change.



The Positive Change campaign organization identifies with and shares the frustration, disillusionment, pains, socio-economic alienation and insecurity inflicted on the highly enterprising masses of Akwa Ibom people for voting in the current corrupt political regime. Similarly, we enjoin all to note that nothing endures but change. We urge our people to reposition themselves for the needed change by participating actively in the upcoming electoral process.



We urge you to remember that your vote is your passport to freedom. So be prepared to use it wisely by voting right. The right of voting for representatives of your choice is the primary right by which your other rights are protected. To mortgage this right for whatever reason is to subject your life to slavery. Slavery according to Thomas Paine consists in being subject to the will of another, and he that has not a vote in the election of representatives is in slavery.



The agenda of prevailing political machination is to exclude you from taking part in the process of electing your true representatives. This is as criminal as the craze by the government to steal and mismanage our commonwealth. This must be democratically resisted.



Stand up and be counted on the side of positive history

Support change. Embrace change. Preach change. Act change.







Signed:

PUBLICITY COMMITTEE

Positive change 2011