A’IBOM 2023: MEDIA GROUP BERATES SEN.AKPAN’S CAMPAIGN ORG. OVER ALLEGED BLACKMAIL.

A group of media professionals operating under the aegis of Uyo Senatorial District Media Practitioners Forum (USDMPF) has come hard on the Akwaubokabasi Campaign Organization working for the gubernatorial ambition of Senator Bassey Albert Akpan, accusing the group of using emotional blackmail antics to seek undeserved attention.

Senator Akpan’s Akwaubokabasi campaign group last week raised alarm in the media accusing agents of Akwa ibom state government and Peoples Democratic Party of threatening and intimidating her members and other delegates to the forthcoming elections in order to gain undue advantage over other aspirants in preference for Gov. Emmanuel’s choice.

However, USDMPF in a press statement endorsed by Pastor Michael Okon Head, Publicity & Strategic Communication

Uyo Senatorial District Media Practitioners Forum tagged:

“Facts And Fictions of Akwaubokabasi Campaign Organization's Allegation of Threat to Public Peace” dismissed the alleged threat and intimidation outcry as misleading and cheap blackmail.

According to the press statement. “Akwaubokabasi Campaign Organization, whose latest hoax is that agents of the Government of Akwa Ibom State and the Peoples Democratic Party are engaging the instrumentality of threat on delegates and members of the party to accord advantage to one of the aspirants does not deserve response from any intelligible mind, owing to its source, illogic and intent.

“The reason is that the source of a testimony determines to a large extent, it’s credibility and objectivity. However, to shield the innocent and vulnerable members of the public, who may not have the capacity to decipher truth from fiction, as typified in this outburst, we in Uyo Senatorial District Media Practitioners Forum consider it a moral obligation to set the records straight.

“First, the attempt by Akwaubokabasi Campaign Organization to hide behind the cover of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and that of the Peoples Democratic Party to masquerade the truth with mendacity and outright falsehood is cheap, blackmailing and to say the least, misleading. For instance, the allegation that party delegates are being threatened and stopped from associating with other aspirants in the party is not only unfounded, but cheap and blackmailing. Playing the victim is an emotional blackmail antics, used by the employer to seek undeserved attention- and in the process cause harm.

The media group asked if it’s not rational, logical and scientifically tenable to make generalizations without any tangible evidence.

“Who did they say was threatened, where, when and by who? In the era of information and communication technology, information is at the disposal of everyone through gadgets and methods such as voice recording and video conversations. Taking cognizance of the above line of argument, it’s safe to say that, the accuser is a victim of his jaundiced thought -process and of hallucinations”.

The group further highlighted, “These array of antics by Akwaubokabasi Campaign Organization cannot be not divorced from the series of threats on the Governor of Akwa Ibom State by imaginary militants to the effect that he should rescind his decision on his preferred successor. We at Uyo Senatorial District Media Practitioners Forum are hereby call on the Inspector General of Police to investigate this seemingly cult group which has elected to instigate mayhem in the state”.

USDMPF admonish members of the public to discountenance the falsehood propagated by the campaign organization stressing, “ It is our considered opinion that if the organization’s principal has the legitimacy it claims, he should be confident enough to test same at the party’s primaries, rather that dwell in a wild goose chase and conspiracy theories.

Speaking on Governor Udom Emmanuel’s succession agenda, they retorted, “it natural for human beings to