Akwa Ibom state government evicts Channels television crew from government house

The Akwa Ibom State Government has evicted Channels Television crew which include a journalist and a cameraman from the press centre inside Government House, Uyo, the state capital.

Penpushing reports that the eviction followed the publication of a video clip in which Governor Umo Eno finally confirmed he is defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The eviction is coming about four days after the Chief Executive Officer of the station, John Momoh, visited the Governor at the Government House during the just concluded Nigerian Institute of Public Relations Week in Uyo.

Penpushing further reports that it is recalled that Eno seized the opportunity to speak on his planned defection at an event on Thursday at Government House to review the status of the administration’s numerous projects.

The Governor had declared to his cabinet members to prepare their resignation letters if they were unwilling to defect with him to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), and ceased to be members of his cabinet

“We want our commissioners and members of Exco, appointees, and those of you who are saying that you would not come, you are free absolutely not to join me, but you won’t be in my State Executive Council’, he stated.

“Prepare to resign the day I announced that I am moving because you cannot; you are an appointee, and your loyalty is fully to me. You can’t be in my cabinet and play anti-party. It is what it is’, Eno added.

Penpushing also reports that sources said the Governor’s defection is said to be scheduled for the first week of June, while he was quoted saying that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leadership crisis, particularly the office of the party’s national secretary, which is plagued by protracted litigation, was responsible for his imminent defection.

The Governor declared never to relinquish the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) structure in Akwa Ibom state, which may pitch him against his predecessor, Udom Emmanuel, whom, it was gathered, has refused to move with him to the All Progressives Congress(APC).

Penpushing reports that the Channels Television, however, on Friday aired the video clips of the Governor’s remarks, which sources said was embarrassing to him, and immediately after the event, Ekerete Udoh, the Governor’s spokesperson assembled journalists in the Government House Press Corps, including those from Channels Television and warned them against making the video of the Governor’s remarks public.

The sources, however, disclosed that the Governor’s spokesperson on Saturday called the Channels Television crew and announced to them that his boss has barred them from the press centre

“On Saturday morning, Ekerete (Udoh) called the Channels TV crew, and (he) informed them that the governor has barred them from the press centre. The governor was so furious, he wanted to sack Ekerete and disband the entire press corps’, the source added.

Penpushing further reports that the affected which include Christopher Moffat has been the Channels Television correspondent at the Government House, Uyo, for over 10 years, while his cameraman is Kufre Ikpe.

Meanwhile, as at the time of filing this reports the Governor’s spokesperson was yet to deny or confirm the development, while on his own part, General Manager of Channels Television, Ambrose Okoh, said he was not aware of the eviction of the station’s crew.

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