Tension in Akwa Ibom as Security Details Withdrawn from Ex-Governor Udom Emmanuel
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There is growing tension in Akwa Ibom State following the reported withdrawal of police security details attached to the immediate past governor, Udom Emmanuel.
Checks revealed that officers assigned to Emmanuel’s two residences in the state were recalled over the weekend, sparking political speculation and mixed reactions.
While some residents accused the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led state government of orchestrating the move to pressure the former governor into joining the party, others suggested it signaled a rift between Emmanuel and his successor, Governor Umo Eno.
Emmanuel, who played a decisive role in Eno’s emergence as governor under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 elections, has remained loyal to the PDP despite Eno’s defection to the APC. Political observers say Emmanuel’s stance to rebuild the PDP ahead of 2027 may be viewed as a threat to the ruling party in the state.
Reacting to the development, the Commissioner for Information, Aniekan Umana, dismissed reports linking the government to the security withdrawal. He stressed that the deployment and reassignment of police officers were the prerogatives of the Inspector-General of Police and state commissioners, not governors.
“To the best of our knowledge, there has been no complaint from any former governor about the withdrawal of their security details. The rumour exists only in the imagination of those peddling it,” Umana said, urging the public to disregard what he described as baseless propaganda.
However, Steve Abia, Special Assistant to Emmanuel, confirmed the withdrawal. “The reality on ground is that if you go to the ex-governor’s houses right now, there are no police security men. Who withdrew them is what I cannot say,” he told reporters.
A pro-PDP group, PDP Advocates for Peace and Justice, described the incident as politically motivated. Its chairman, Dr. Tom FredFish, argued that the withdrawal was aimed at weakening the PDP in Akwa Ibom. “All this is just for them to kill the PDP in the state and pocket it. But it will not work,” he said.
