by crossriverwatch admin
There was palpable tension in Bakassi Local government Area on Saturday following a discovery that some politicians had perfected plans to use the Bakassi returnees for election rigging in Akpabuyo and Bakassi Resettlement Camps.
Security Operatives dispatched around the area further confirmed this as heavy armed policemen and Civil Defence men were deployed on ground to forestall the usurpation of peace around the area.
But the tension was doused by Senator Florence Ita-Giwa who hurriedly arranged for the relocation of the returnees to Dayspring Island to cast their votes.
No fewer than 1,500 returnees were quickly ferried to the Dayspring Island to cast their votes within the riverine area, CrossRiverWatch can authoritatively report.
The returnees who are over 2,000 including pregnant women have been staying at the refugee camps located at Community Primary and Secondary Schools Ikot Edem Idom, in Akpabuyo Local government Area since they were forced back to Nigeria by Cameroonian gendarmes.
They were targeted by some politicians from both Akpabuyo and the New Bakassi Resettlement Camp, Ikang who wanted to use them as political thugs before the information leaked.
CrossRiverWatch visit to the returnees camp revealed that the camp was near-empty as no one was seen in their rooms except for a few hanging around.
It was gathered that the Political leader of Bakassi and Former Presidential Adviser on National Assembly Matters Senator Florence Ita-Giwa came as early as 6am to ferry the returnees to DaySpring Island following a tip off.
“Our Mother and Leader, Mama Bakassi came to carry about 75% of us to go and vote at Dayspring Island because we hear rumour that some politicians are coming to induce us to do their bidding today, so we told our mama who has been feeding us and fighting for our cause since the beginning of this struggle.
“Why will they come now and give us peanuts to vote in their domain because it is election time? We have been crying for help that they should support us since March when we came here, none of them listened to us except the governor who through SEMA has been providing for our basic needs.
“But when its election time they come to induce us with money and try to divide the camp interest but because we are riverine people we don’t betray ourselves, the secret was leaked to Senator Ita-Giwa”. Said Eyo Ene, the Camp Leader who was on ground to monitor movement at the camp.
Speaking on the development, a community leader and former PDP chapter chairman in Bakassi, Chief Eneyo Eyo said he is not aware of such move.
He however said Dayspring is not a polling booth in Bakassi, stressing that all the ten Wards of Bakassi according to Law No.7 of Cross River State that created the New Bakassi after the ceding took place reside on the lands and not an Isolated Island.
Another influential politician in Akpabuyo who preferred anonymity said “How can they leave the place they have been accommodated for Six months to go and vote in another place?”.
Efforts to speak with Princess Florence Ita-giwa were unsuccessful as repeated calls to her mobile phone indicated that the phone was switched off.
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