… As Akwa Ibom Youth Seek Explanation, Beneficiary Of The Money Confesses
By Joseph Ekpo
The #EndSARS Protesters who drummed the streets of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State last Tuesday, October 13, 2020, are already boiling like hot water in a kettle over the N4 Million buy off deal between Gov Udom Emmanuel and Virgin Kufre Carter, the co-convener of the #EndSARS Protest in Akwa Ibom State.
The idea of enjoining other States in the Nationwide Peaceful Protest calling for the immediate disbandment of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad SARS following the Police Brutality and several other corrupt practices carried out by these men of woe was birthed and supported massively by Akwa Ibom Youth via a WhatsApp Group with Virgin Kufre Carter and Ofonime Honesty as the Group Administrators.
Although the anger of the #EndSARS Protesters is likened to that of a He Goat which in any way can not stop the transaction between the He Goat Buyer and the He Goat Seller, the Akwa Ibom #EndSARS Community is currently experiencing an exodus of Protesters including one of the Group Administrators, Ofonime Honesty for their inability to determine why Virgin Kufre Carter irrespective of his ordeal with the only god government that led to his 31-Day detention at the DSS facility during the Covid-19 politics in the state could surreptitiously run out of the Protest Train to seal a N4 Million deal
The biggest questions asked by Nigerians within and outside the country are; Why on earth would the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Deacon Udom Emmanuel always be in the news for the wrong reasons? Why would Gov Udom Emmanuel decide to make mockery of the #EndPoliceBrutality Protest by using N4 Million as a Price Tag to defeat the purpose of the agitation? Why Gov Udom Emmanuel has completely ruined the reputation of Virgin Kufre Cater by causing so much hunger in the State while using N4 Million as bait and caught him like a starving rat?
It is not clear whether Gov Udom Emmanuel played the awful part in the dramedy to instigate hatred against the APC-led government regarding certain administrative disparities over what his party believes or if he opted in for the abusive show to get Virgin Kufre Carter and other bloc leaders who aligned for the same purpose to dance to his gallery. According to reactions sweeping the media space, Nigerians assume that the fruitless adventure could have been independently tailored by the Chief Executive of the State to gratify the #EndSARS Protest Conveners off the possibility of engaging the government of Akwa Ibom State with some bitter-truth inscriptions on the hundreds of thousands of placards during subsequent Protests in the state.
Consequently, the confessional statement published by a Co-convener of the #EndSARS Protest in Akwa Ibom State, Virgin Kufre Cater, it is deciphered that Gov Udom Emmanuel had an ulterior motive that doesn’t conform to the speculation making the round in the media space in a sheer attempt to absolve the Governor of hijacking the #EndSARS Protest to match his bidding. This has met a widespread objurgation, daring to find an answer to why Gov Udom Emmanuel didn’t publicly announce the N4 Million as his donation for refreshment to the Protesters. Nigerians are further asking why the Governor through his SSA on Youth Matters instructed the embattled Cater to keep it a secret if his intentions regarding the N4 Million donation were genuine and not a buy-off to flaw the messages sent across by the #EndSARS Protesters. A better reason why Gov Udom Emmanuel through his SSA on Youth Matters also instructed the most pilloried Protest Co-convener Cater to share the N500,000 which Cater has conceited receipt among only 5 people rather than share the so-called blood money among the hundreds of thousands of protesters who thronged the streets of Uyo last Tuesday.
Carter’s confession reads in part;
“Well, I want to state the facts about the money categorically thus:
Half an hour after the governor finished addressing the protesters, I got a call from the SSA on Youth Matters to come to Eni Stores with two(2) people from the protest ground. I obliged. On arrival, I was informed that His Excellency has given the sum of four(4) million naira and explained the sharing formula: (i) 2 million for “Uyo Youths” and 2 million for four (4) blocs of protest organizers (which he knew I was one of those who organised the said protest). I was handed five hundred thousand naira (500,000) with specific instructions on how to share which I disbursed accordingly to five people. With this money, came a caveat that the information should be as discreet as possible and I agreed hence the reason for my initial denial which I’ve grossly regretted. Two days after, I kept getting threats from even my friends asking me to produce 4m given by the governor. I kept wondering where they got the information that I received 4m when in actual fact I received 500,000. I’ve managed to build a reputation around my name that I would rather die than let anything or anybody put a dent on it. Nobody is indispensable when it comes to protecting my name and reputation. I hereby apologize to everybody who I’ve disappointed by my actions on Tuesday. This is a first for me and I’ve surely learnt my lessons. I’m really sorry.”
Regrettably, the reactions of the sold-out Protesters are not seemingly pleasant. They got these to say; “Chief I understand your angle but what he did is equivalent to murder. Take a step back and think of the reason why we are protesting. Watch the videos of the candlelight night remembering those that lost their lives during this protest and before. He spitted on their grave by getting that money and agreeing to keep it secret I know we all make mistakes and I’m not a saint but mistakes come with consequences and I’m sure he knows he messed up big time”
“To whom more is given, more is always expected…People lost jobs, friends, and connections because they stood up for Kufre during his issues with the government…We all expected him, as a direct and well-known victim of the oppression and abuse of power by the people we’re protesting against to be at least upright in his doings…Stop defending him, the fact that he’s seeing all of the complaints here and he has said nothing buttresses the fact that he’s nothing but a two-faced rat 🐀”
“Our youths, I have so much believed, hope, and trust that you all won’t let the moment slip out of your hands. Please let’s all work together to break this generational jinx by supporting each other, turning up, and doing the needful. Enough of the Kufre Carter issue. The time for that conversation is coming, not now…”
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