Why Umo Eno rejected calls to withdraw from governorship race

The governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom State, Umo Bassey Eno has rejected calls for his withdrawal from the race following allegations that he forged his credentials including his Permanent Voters Card.

A former member of the state executive council, Akan Okon who was also a governorship aspirant on the platform of the PDP had sued Umo Eno before a Federal High Court in Uyo over alleged certificate falsification.

In a statement in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, Chris Abasieyo, spokesman for Umo Eno campaign Organisation said the PDP governorship candidate has the requisite credentials to contest the election and has not forged any document.

“The allegation of forgery levelled against him is ridiculous and baseless. Akan Okon, a defeated PDP governorship aspirant, who made the allegation, has taken the matter to court and there is the legal dictum that “he who alleges must prove.”

“We are waiting for him to prove his allegation in court,” adding that it “is reasonable to wait for the court to take its decision.”

Read also: I will quit governorship race if WAEC confirms I forged my certificate – Umo Eno

Abasieyo further said: “We have read with amusement, a puerile, ludicrous and indeed laughable press release by a publicity committee of the APC calling on Umo Eno, the next governor of Akwa Ibom State to withdraw from the gubernatorial race. It looked more like a work of comedy.”

He described the committee as illegal which he said has recently been disowned and declared illegal by no other person than the APC State Publicity Secretary.

“If anybody should apologise and withdraw from the public space, it should be the illegal APC Media and Publicity Committee.

“It should publicly apologise to the APC faithful and the people of Akwa Ibom State for continuing to impersonate the APC State Publicity Secretary, in defiance of his warning,”

He accused those are accusing Umo Eno of resorting to social media trial in “a futile bid to damage him,” saying “they are afraid that the court would absolve him of the allegation.”

According to him, it is increasingly apparent that “Umo Eno, with a huge support base and unassailable lead, is the man to beat in the 2023 governorship election, hence the vicious propaganda against him by his desperate opponents.”

He urged “all supporters and admirers of Umo Eno to remain resolute in the face of this ferocious campaign of calumny.”