Police vs Uyo four Journalists: Govt confirms instigating action

* Anietie Ukpe attacks, abuses Clifford Thomas for kicking against illegal action on quartet
* The words of the CPS is an unfortunate ranting from an ignorant opportunist- CLO President

Indications have emerged that the state Government must have directed and set up the Akwa Ibom Police command against the four journalists believed to be critical in their editorial principles. THE INK can authoritatively report. The confirmation of this revelation was done by the Senior Special Assistant and Chief Press Secretary to the Governor Pastor Anietie Ukpe over the weekend when he called the state President of the Civil Liberties Organization of Nigeria, Mr. Clifford Thomas on phone and attacked him on why he should support the journalists by issuing a Press release challenging the decision of the police to invite the quartet.

In their phone interaction reported to THE INK Newspaper, Anietie Ukpe is said to have informed Clifford Thomas on why the CLO man should not be involved in the matter stating also that one of the papers had reported that the first lady and wife of the Governor, Ekaette Unoma Godswill Akpabio had bribed some judges sitting on the case between Imo Udo and the state Governor. In the ensuing argument between Akpabio’s spokesman and Clifford Thomas, Ukpe is said to have lamented very bitterly and angrily over the decision of the public to jump into the matter as his fears are said to be that the journalists are getting the backing of the public who sees the police invitation as a plot to frustrate media activities in the state.

Furthermore, Ukpe is said to have thrown decorum to the wind by engaging in verbal attack and raining unprintable names on Clifford Thomas and also abusing him in the process. Ukpe is said to have spoken in a manner that betrays his position as a Pastor of Insight Bible Church when he threw decorum to the gutter simply because he attempts to encourage an illegal action on innocent press men .

Clifford informed that the Spokesman to the Governor, Anietie Ukpe had rained angry words on him with intent to convince him on why the alleged four invited journalists should be apprehended by the police. While responding, Clifford Thomas is said to have told Ukpe that nobody is against the invite but had queried to know the sudden interest of the government in this matter when Government had earlier reasoned that they have no hands in the invitation. Ukpe is said to have angrily interrupted Clifford Thomas and went personal by telling Thomas he is not a trained journalist when he, Anietie Ukpe is said to have told Thomas that the CLO man studied political Science before he went to do law after his degree in Political Science.

Clifford had since described the words of Anietie Ukpe as unfortunate ranting from an ignorant opportunist. Clifford told our reporter that he wouldn’t have loved to join issues with Ukpe but just to set the records straight and educate him a bit, he informed Ukpe that he holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Journalism. Clifford Thomas however advised Anietie Ukpe and his collaborators in the war against the Independent Press in the state that they should seek civil and matured manners of dealing with the Press especially those they considered their editorial policies are not government friendly.

The CLO man however reiterated his determination to ensure that the four journalists are not trampled upon in the course of their doing their duties as members of the fourth estate of the realm.

With the action of Ukpe, pundits are of the opinion that indeed the unholy and suspicious invitation to the four journalists has a government colouration with a clear and wicked intention to jail the quartet unjustly.

But contrary to Ukpe’s insinuation, none of the alleged invited papers had ever reported a story linking Unoma to a bribe on judge or judges.