With less than 12 days to the much publicised 2015 presidential election in the country, northerners resident in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, are leaving the city in their numbers.

Investigation carried out by News Express in Uyo revealed that the number of dwellers at the densely populated Hausa settlements at Eka Street, Udi Street and the old Akwa Ibom State Transport Company (AKTC) premises, as well as Itam junction, have drastically reduced.

Speaking in an interview at his Udi Street office, the leader of the Hausa Community in Akwa Ibom State, Alhaji Hassan Sadauki, attributed the exodus of the community members to “rumours of war.” He said that “they are fleeing to their various states of origin for fear of the rumour going round in some parts of the country that there would be war as a result of the election.”

Alhaji Sadauki, who was represented by his deputy, Alhaji Hussaini Umar Jubril, warned those who clamour for the split of Nigeria as a result of the election, “especially, the foreign powers, to stop the expensive joke forthwith.”

He emphasised: “On no circumstance, all I know is that Nigeria must remain one and nobody has the right to divide her. There is no other country for me or any other Nigerian to go.

“My father, mother, children, brother, sister or my late grandfather, grandmother, other relations of mine and fellow Nigerians, are everything Nigeria for me.”

The Hausa Community leader, however, promised to stay behind alongside some others, to cast his vote, “because I registered here in Uyo.” He pointed out that the fleeing northerners were afraid of the recent threat of retaliation attributed to Alhaji Mujahid Dokubo- Asari, an ex-militant leader, over reported spate of attacks on President Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign convoys in some parts of the North.

Alhaji Sadauki charged the Federal Government to “take decisive actions against anyone or group that disturbs the convoy of any party campaigners, no matter his or her acclaimed position in the society.” He emphasised that “Boko Haram is the nation’s most deadly challenge and it is the only war we must all fight to ensure its logical end.”

Abubakar Audu and Mohammed Musa, suya sellers at the Idongesit Nkanga Secretariat recreational outlet in Uyo, confirmed that they would leave Akwa Ibom for their home state, Sokoto, “this weekend because, just like Akwa Ibom, Sokoto State is equally peaceful.” They spoke of their plans “to come back here after two weeks of the elections, all things being equal.”

Another northerner, Bashir Abubakar, a 21-year-old holder of Senior School Certificate and who sells beans at Wellington Bassey Way, by Ibom Plaza, stated: “I will be travelling to my state, Zamfara on Friday this week, but I hope to stop over in Anambra State to cast my vote, since I registered there before relocating to Uyo, then I will proceed to Zamfara immediately.

“If there is no outbreak of war after the elections, I will come back to Akwa Ibom in two weeks time.”

However, Nasiru Bashir, a 35-year-old father of nine children and two wives and who sells retailed onions at the Itam junction market, Uyo, said he would not be able to leave Akwa Ibom during the election period “due to economic reasons.”

“The transport fare to Zamfara State where I come from is just too much for me to afford at this point in time,” Bashir lamented.

Uyo residents and visitors who patronise the cobblers, shoe shiners, nails cutters, umbrella repairers, cloth and yam hawkers – mostly northerners – have started lamenting “their unnecessary and panicky exodus” from the state.

An elderly man in his late 80s at Eka Street, Uyo, who did not want to disclose his name, remarked: “Why do these inexperienced and ill-informed elements talk of war? Have they ever seen war and the affects of war on the people and the economy before? I hope they will realise the consequences and find out the destructive effects of the Nigerian/Biafran civil war on this country.”

When contacted on phone, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Etim Dickson, replied that the police was not aware of such movements since it is unofficial. “If this is true, is it not the civic responsibility for every eligible registered voter to exercise his or her franchise by going to wherever they registered and vote?” the PPRO asked.

•Photo shows Dokubo, whose threat is fueling the exodus.

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