By Johnbosco Agbakwuru
Senator Helen Esuene (PDP, Akwa Ibom South) is one of those angling to succeed Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State in 2015 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Last Wednesday, she embarked on consultation visits to the local councils of the state but she was attacked alongside the Chapter Chairman of the party, Mr. Friday Udo and some of her supporters by thugs said to be sponsored by political opponents at Essien Udim Local Council PDP secretariat.
Helen Esuene
Asked if she was scared by the development, she said: “At this stage, we live by the grace of God. I am a very calm person and I was so happy that even the people that went with me still followed me to the next place that we had to visit the next day. Even those with bandages on their legs still came joined me. So I am not going to withdraw to my shell. I am not going to be intimidated to withdraw.”
Narrating her ordeal, she said: “I started my tour early last week and we have gone to a few local governments. On October 15, it was a Wednesday, we had scheduled to visit three local governments in Ikot Ikpene Senatorial District.
The first was Obot Akara, we got there about a little after 10 am. Normally, when we go like that, the party executive will be there, they will also invite some of their elders in the community, women and youths. So the chapter chairman was there with his exco members, elders, women and youths and we did the talking, trying to market ourselves normally.
“The other place was Essien Udim Local Government and we got to the place at after 3pm, to a very rousing welcome. The chapter chairman was there to receive us and an array of elders, party exco members, women, youths and what really added colour there was because they have a beautiful hall as their party office. They have a very conducive environment. We were all very relaxed, in fact they added to the reception by bringing in a cultural musical group which sang songs and everybody enjoyed it.
“Introductions were made and I stood up and addressed them and at the end, I gave them copies of my manifesto. The chapter chairman was invited to make a response. He didn’t speak for up to two minutes when we saw a group of young men coming from outside. At the high table, the main door was directly opposite us. About 20 of the men came in, I thought maybe they had something to say.
“We were all seated, both the VIPs and the party people and they came, walked up straight to the stage where we sat and the next thing was that the chapter chairman was attacked, phones and all the things on the table, including the plastic table were lifted and they were just flying everywhere. That was when people rushed me through the back door behind us and we went to the car. Things were broken-the chairs, television and the rest were broken.
“These people came with guns, you could see some with two in their pockets. That wasn’t all, as we entered the car; I think my car was like maybe number three or two. They were attempting to shut the gate, so people struggled with them and opened the gate and we sped fast out of the place. But some were not all that lucky, some had to jump the fence and abandoned their cars and took off.
Others, as they came, their cars were searched; money was demanded from them, phones were collected from them. Even one woman, they collected her car particulars and shoes. That was how we managed to leave the place. The party chairman had injuries on the head and the back. Some people who scrambled to leave had injuries. I lost my spectacle and phone which were on the table.
But thank God, by 1:30 am that night, the phone was returned to one of my supporters, a retired general. He didn’t ask the man how he got it or where he took it from, he just collected the phone and said ‘thank you.’ And the person who brought this phone, interestingly, is the PA to a Senior Special Assistant to the governor. The boys that came into the hall; people recognized them. They were not strangers to the environment.
“And as I talk to you, this thing happened on Wednesday. Up till now, the chairman of Essien Udim Local Government has not put a call to me, to find out what actually happened, as the Chief Security Officer of that particular local government. But he has gone on air to say I wasn’t the target but that it was a mere misunderstanding, to quote him, ‘a mere misunderstanding between the boys and the chapter chairman.’
“And I ask myself ‘a mere misunderstanding and people are wounded, a very peaceful assembly disrupted, the house vandalized, posters vandalized and you say it was a mere misunderstanding? If it was a mere misunderstanding between them and the chapter chairman, why didn’t they wait for me to leave? Why didn’t they go to his house? He lives with them, why did they have to come while visitors were holding a lawful meeting in a party office?
So these are the questions. I don’t think there are any arrests yet. I’m still waiting. But in a nutshell, that was what happened. Issues of money have been spoken about, the people that came in were not part of what was happening in that hall, they came from outside, they did not make any statement, they did not say anything. They just came straight up to the stage and attacked us.
. “The country belongs to all of us. The party is ours, there is freedom of movement, there is freedom of lawful assembly and nobody should be allowed to threaten anybody. The chapter chairman has spoken to the press in Akwa Ibom State and what he said was that he was told not to receive me. He said a day before, the local government chairman told him not to receive me and that they should only receive the person that the governor wants.
.“If this type of thing is not properly addressed it may continue as some people think that they own Nigeria. There must be no sacred cows.”
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