Tension has continued to envelope the oil communities of Ekid ethnic nationality of Akwa Ibom State following the arrest and prosecution of one of Governor Umo Eno’s fiercest critics, Princess God’sown Udoito, a radical land and environmental rights advocate.

Lady Udoito, LEADERSHIP learnt, was arrested on Wednesday on the orders of the State government and charged to Court by the Commissioner of Police (CP), Baba Azare, over alleged defamation and breach of public peace.

But the Ekid Women Wing (EWW), comprising women from Eket and Esit Eket local government areas of the State, has vowed to disrupt government and social activities with protest over what they described as “the suppression of dissenting voices under the repressive government of Pastor Umo Eno.”

They therefore declared their unanimous decision “to boycott political activities until Governor Umo Eno releases Princess God’sown Udoito from prison,” explaining that Princess Udoito was arrested for questioning the Governor’s decision to sell the Ekid ancestral land, Stubbs Creek Forest Reserve, without the consent of the Ekid people.

One of the women leaders, Mrs. Ekaette Bassey, disclosed that the women in both Eket and Esit LGAs have been sufficiently rallied for the mass protest, accusing Governor Eno of suppressing their freedom of speech, and vowed to withdraw their supports for his second term bid.

All government activities, including political rallies, they stated, would meanwhile be boycotted, warning that “failure to release Princess Udoito within a week would lead to escalated protests.”

She said: “We frown at the action of the Governor and urge him to unconditionally release our daughter, Princess Udoito. If he fails to do so, we will be left with no option than to appear nude and occupy his hotel along the Eket-Oron Road, during the protest,” she stressed.

The women who accused Governor Eno of using the weapon of intimidation to cow them out of their legitimate agitation, vowed to fight for their rights despite government’s threat.

“For Governor Eno to suppress our freedom of speech is an indication that he doesn’t want our support, and we won’t demonstrate cowardice,” they maintained.

(LEADERSHIP)

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