A pro- democracy group, Akwa Ibom Democratic Initiative (AIDI) has absolved Governor Udom Emmanuel from the arrest and detention of a social media conversationalist, Mr. Michael Itok, arrested by the DSS.
In a statement in Uyo on Friday 12th December, the convener of the group, Obong Henry Akpan said Itok’s case is a criminal case, advised those who are pointing fingers at the governor over his arrest to explore legal means to defend him instead of sponsoring malicious campaigns in the media against the governor.
Michael Itok
The statement says Michael Itok was arrested by security following series of malicious publications he made on social media against the governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel
“Michael Itok was fished out by the security agencies and interrogated and he, without duress admitted and confessed to being the author of the malicious and libellous materials and was duly detained by the appropriate law enforcement agencies. He is being prosecuted accordingly”, the statement adds.
The group urges social media users and the release Michael Itok campaigners to leave Governor Udom Emmanuel out of their hate campaigns.
READ FULL TEXT OF THE STATEMENT BELOW:
Re. Michael Itok’s Detention, Governor Udom Emmanuel has no Hands in his Travails
We are constrained to address the above matter in spite of our initial decision not to join issues with those who have latched on to the issue and caused to be published especially on the social media and a section of the conventional media, several false narratives.
Here are the unvarnished facts: For some time now, some individuals motivated and edged on by certain political entities have taken to the social media to cause to be published several scurrilous and criminally libellous materials on the person and the Office of the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Udom Emmanuel. Some of these manufactured lies are so odious and morally reprehensible that they gall the soul. In plain language, these maliciously atrocious materials had crossed the lines of decency.
In all of this, the Governor Udom Emmanuel had, as a democrat refused to join issues with the purveyors of these sick tales. When these obviously sponsored blackmail and injurious materials became a daily diet for those merchants of lies and character assassins, a petition was made to the law enforcement agencies to launch a formal investigations on those who pushed and caused to be published these libellous materials.
Michael Itok was fished out by the security agencies and interrogated and he, without duress admitted and confessed to being the author of the malicious and libellous materials and was duly detained by the appropriate law enforcement agencies. He is being prosecuted accordingly.
It is worth noting here that Governor Udom Emmanuel as a democrat and a firm believer in lawful expression of free speech has had no hands in the travails of Michael Itok. Michael Itok’s case is purely criminal and those who have taken up his matter should explore legal means to deal with the issue and be guided properly. Again, it bears repeating: Governor Udom Emmanuel has no hands in Michael Itok’s travails
