A senior priest of the African Church and Special Assistant to governor Udom Emmanuel on Media, Revd Richard Peters had claimed that the governorship candidate of the Young Progressives Party, YPP in Akwa Ibom state, Mr Bassey Albert popularly known as OBA has created over 100 fake social media accounts to blackmail and project propaganda against opponents.
The cleric also denied cultism allegations leveled against him on social media.
In a statement made available to journalists in Uyo on Friday the Cleric said OBA faithfuls were bent on invading comment sections of any facebook post promoting Umo Eno, the PDP Governorship candidate and post a counter comment just to bring him and the poster down.
He attributed their action to lack of ideas and campaign strategies to win the minds of Akwa Ibom people who are religiously PDP faithfuls.
The Cleric said he had forwarded the screenshot comments and allegations to the commissioner of police and other security agencies for discreet investigations.
According to the text in full, “I have forwarded the screenshot comments below to the Commissioner of Police and other security agencies for a thorough investigation, I’m hopeful that the manipulators and those who shared will be invited to defend their claims or give further details to what they shared. It is my believe that perpetrators will be brought to book.
“I have been informed that at the instance of Bassey Albert, he has allegedly given approval for the creation of about 100 fake facebook accounts and pages to be used for blackmail and propaganda, this is as a result of their continuous lack of ideas.
“Their primary plan is to invade the comment section to discredit posts that promote Umo Eno and the PDP using the fake accounts, and make comments aimed at maligning the writer and the piece. This will happen in the coming days, because they are bereft of ideas.
“Already, they have started using the fake accounts to blackmail me as a cultist. This is laughable. As a Priest, I have taken an oath not to belong to any cult group, with severe consequences attached to it, hence, I cannot belong to any secret society. This is pure blackmail orchestrated from the camp of OBA.
“It is sad that the Nigeria political system seems to destroy the fibre of our democratic principles, and observance of our fundamental rights to life, freedom of expression etc. My insistence on OBA and his supporters to spell out what they have in stock for Akwa Ibom people have made me any my family their number one target for abuse and blackmail.
“Governance all over the world is not a product of sentiment, but a deliberate effort towards influencing policies and programmes that would facilitate better living. Candidates aspiring for different positions should have ideas and plans packaged in form of manifesto that the electorate can see and make informed decision, whether to vote for or against such a candidate. This is the practice in developed democracies, and must be applied anywhere democracy is adopted as a system of governance.
“But it is rather unfortunate that some candidates view governance as an entitlement that must be packaged and given to them on a platter of gold. They see it as a reward for “labour”, and not based on the need to effect change and contribute to nation building. As a result of this mindset, they tend to see those who challenge them to do the needful by informing the people why they should be supported as enemies.
“Exercising my right as a citizen of this state has turned me into one that OBA and his supporters have vowed to eliminate, abuse, malign and blackmail.
“Through different mediums, I have made my points clear that no cultist will govern Akwa Ibom, whether he is a cultist for Christ or satan. (You can see the story on Vanguard, Dailypost and The Sun newspapers)
2023: Don’t vote cultist as your gov – Cleric appeals to Akwa Ibom people
2023: Cleric advises A’Ibom against electing a cultist as governor
https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/10/2023-a-ibom-cleric-advises-electorate-against-voting-cultist-as-governor/
Let me restate that, no cultist will smell the Hill Top mansion. Let it be known to OBA that power cannot be given to desperate people, and the fact that they have poorly manufactured a cult-oriented blackmail against me shows that he has confirmed my curiosity about his alleged involvement in cultism. This is the aftermath of trying other methods of blackmail against me.
“With these fake accounts to be used for blackmail in the coming days, they have concluded within themselves that no outspoken person against them will be spared.
“However, Akwa Ibom people and the PDP will stand for justice, fair-play and engage in global best practices of electioneering.
The crowd at PDP rallies are true reflection of reality, and not rented crowd from across the state and neighbouring states during OBA’s events just to show off their fake number. It’s a jamboree, which will not in anyway influence the outcome of the elections.
“The crowd at PDP rallies are real electorates from units, wards and LGAs where the event take place. And this poses a great challenge for the YPP and other opposition parties in the state Akwa Ibom is PDP, and PDP is Akwa Ibom state.” Continue Reading
Contact: Nationnewslead.com
