Ekere promises to end youth militancy in Akwa Ibom

THE All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Akwa Ibom State, Obong Nsima Ekere, has promised to end the rampant criminality from militant youths that has paralysed socio-economic life in three council areas in the state by implementing a programme of amnesty that is sincere and comes with empowerment for the youths who have been forced into anti-social activities by lack of economic opportunities.

Ekere said an APC government’s amnesty programme for the youths who renounce insurgency will be different from the “deceitful offering by the Udom Emmanuel administration which has given the youths nothing but lies.”

Ekere made the promise on yesterday at his campaign rally in Ukanafun council headquarters where more than 200 members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) defected to the All Progressive Congress (APC) with the prom ise to work for the success of the party in the forthcoming elections.

Amid the influx of new members into the party, Ekere promised Ukanafun people a new deal.

“I will bring Ukanafun back to the path of peace and development,” he said. He added that he strongly empathized with the people of the council area as well as the people of Etim Ekpo and Ika council areas who had to endure three and a half years of rampant insecurity that led to so much destruction and loss of lives while the state governor whose responsibility was to protect them was busy scoring himself 100 per cent on security, boasting that his major achievement was the maintenance of peace and security in the state.

“While Udom scored himself 100 per cent on security, Ukanafun was totally insecure,” Ekere noted. “Udom is heartless. But I can assure Ukanafun people that these dry bones shall rise again.