Ita Enang, a former adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari, was prevented by security officials from having access to Bola Tinubu when the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, visited Akwa Ibom State for his campaign rally.
Tinubu was in Uyo on 30 January for the continuation of his nationwide campaign tour ahead of the 25 February election.
Enang, a 2023 governorship aspirant of the party in Akwa Ibom, was at the Victor Attah International Airport, Uyo, alongside several other APC chieftains, to receive Mr Tinubu but was singled out by security officials who told him he would not be allowed to meet the APC presidential candidate.
Enang was expelled by the state chapter of the APC because of his litigation over the party’s governorship ticket in the state. But Mr Enang rebuffed them, saying he remained a member of the party.
Mr Enang confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES Thursday that he was prevented from meeting Mr Tinubu at the airport in Uyo.
There was at least an hour-long stand-off between Mr Enang and the security officials, Mr Enang said.
He recounted his ordeal, “I was told that they would not allow me in because it is alleged and suspected that I have many of my campaign materials and supporters and that I am coming to launch my governorship campaign at the same time and venue that the rally is going on at the stadium and at the pre-event, and that they have intelligence that my presence may cause conflict and confrontation between my supporters, my team and the team of other persons which may be overwhelming for security control and may lead to untoward situation. So it would be appropriate to avoid that, I should not come in,” he said.
Enang said he had to leave the airport because he did not want “anything to overshadow the rally”.
“I considered that at my status, it would not be appropriate for me to forcibly confront the situation because it may spiral out of control.
“This is our party, I don’t want anything to affect the success which we are anticipating in the election,” he said.
