The Police yesterday arraigned before a Federal High Court, Abuja, the ACN governorship candidate in Akwa Ibom State, John Akpan Udoedehe, on a four count charge of treason that will effectively keep him out of circulation ahead of the coming elections. The maximum penalty for treason is death.
His arraignment is the fallout of the political violence that erupted last Tuesday in Ikot Ekpene and on Wednesday in Uyo, claiming several lives and hundreds of tricycles and vehicles.
The campaign office of President Goodluck Jonathan in Uyo was also torched. The violence involved supporters of the ACN and those of the PDP.
The charges against Udoedehe, a former Minister of State for FCT, are:
Count 1
That you John James Akpan Udoedehe ‘M’ and others now at large, as citizens of Nigeria on the 22nd day of March, 2011, at Ikot Ekpene in Akwa Ibom state in the Abuja Judicial Division, did conspire amongst yourselves to commit felony to wit: treason by levying war against the state with intent to cause such levying of war as would intimidate or overawe the Governor of the state and you thereby committed an offence punishable under section 37 (2) of the Criminal Code Act Cap ‘C’ 38 of the Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
Count 2
That you John James Akpan Udoedehe, ‘M’ and others now at large, as citizens of Nigeria on the 22nd day of March, 2011, at Ikot Ekpene in Akwa Ibom state in the Abuja Judicial Division, did levy war against the state in order intimidate or overawe the Governor of the state by discharging several gun shots at him and his entourage while o his official assignment, and you thereby committed an offence punishable under section 37 (1) of the Criminal Code Act Cap ‘C’ 38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
Count 3
That you John James Akpan Udoedehe ‘M’ and others now at large, as citizens of Nigeria on the 22nd day of March, 2011, at Uyo I Akwa Ibom state in the Abuja Judicial Division did conspire amongst yourselves to commit felony to wit: treason by levying war against the state with intent to cause such levying of war as would intimidate or overawe the Governor of the state and you thereby committed an offence punishable under section 37 (2) of the Criminal Code Act Cap ‘C’ 38 of the Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
Count 4
That you John James Akpan Udoedehe ‘M’ and others now at large, as citizens of Nigeria on the 22nd day of March, 2011, at Uyo I Akwa Ibom state in the Abuja Judicial Division did levy war against the state in order intimidate or overawe the Governor of the state by discharging several gun shots at him and his entourage while o his official assignment, and you thereby committed an offence punishable under section 37 (1) of the Criminal Code Act Cap ‘C’ 38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
Udoedehe had been invited to Abuja on Thursday by the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Hafiz Ringim. On his arrival, he was detained and taken to court yesterday for prosecution.
Source:; Vanguard Newspapers
It’s a good step forward,wanting power by violents wil not take us any where,he should be jail for the violent he cause and that is a good example for others to learn from.
This is a nice step , good
I tink its a gud stat, but perhaps more perpetrators should be apprehended, even in oda states. My sincere wish is dat those found guilty by law don’t go unpurnished
i think he should not be jail,and i think he should be given a chance to contest in the forth coming election,cos the fault was not from the acn candidate rather it was from the oppositon party.
i wish him good in his election
no shaking senator udoedehe, no matter the storm.it shall be over.na you be our new governor
This is politically motivated. Police IG, please let the credible candidate be release from detained so that he can continue with his election campagin. I wish him goodluck and victory.
It is quite unfoe thtg our polticians want to gain accesss to power by all means.I pray justice be melted out and other defauletrs will learn
If police which is saddled with the responsibility of protecting lives could take side in party politics, then there is no hope for nigeria. Udoedehe went for campaigne in ikot ekpene, but PDP supporters stopped him and killed so many acn supporters. But this pdp guber has been going to other places to campaign and nobody stopped him. Well continue with injustice; one day the likes of egypt and libya will happen, if injustice is not stopped.
what i think about John Akpan Udoedehe is that he don’t have conscience for causing the death of many life in Akwa-Ibom, polities is not play with violence and he had to pay for all his wicked act