The report linking the murder of Professor of Political Science, Prof Felix Akpan to February 25 general election has prompted the denial of his family.
Prof. Akpan, a lecturer with the University of Calabar was found killed on March 12 at his Plot 181, Duke Town Close, State Housing residence in Calabar.
Stab wounds are on his body denoting he was killed, with the police swinging into action and picking up a friend of the deceased in connection with the gruesome murder.
Succeeding all this, is rumour on social media putting Prof Akpan’s killing down to February 25 poll.
The report spreading through the net said, his killing was the price he paid for allegedly taking part in alleged election rigging to which the slain professor’s family disclaimed.
In a statement released by a member of the family, Innih Akpan entitled, 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐔𝐑𝐃𝐄𝐑 𝐎𝐅 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐅𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐎𝐑 𝐅𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐗 𝐀𝐊𝐏𝐀𝐍: 𝐀 𝐑𝐄𝐁𝐔𝐓𝐓𝐀𝐋, they said the deceased played no part in the election and was focus on his calling.
The full statement:
The family of Prof Felix Akpan has taken note of some infernal publications on social media drawing unfounded and diabolical inferences on the immediate and remote causes of the death of our son.
The family would like mischief makers and rumour mills to allow it to grieve. However, due to the anxiety shown by students, relatives and friends of the Akpan family, agitated by these tales, the Akpan family has been compelled to issue this formal rebuttal.
Professor Felix didn’t take part in managing the Feb 25 presidential elections. He was neither a permanent nor ad-hoc staff of INEC. Felix Akpan was a devoted academic. He had no interest in, and no time for, party politics. The rumours that suggest that he played any role for the INEC in the just concluded presidential elections are untrue and patently fictitious.
On 25 Feb 2023, Professor Felix was in his home supervising post-graduate projects. Felix Akpan was a man of moral rectitude and unimpeachable honour, who lived as a true Akpan. This puerile attempt to associate the name of Felix and the Akpan clan with rigging is the height of unscrupulousness. The family hopes it isn’t a ploy orchestrated by the murders to cover their tracks.
Felix was murdered in his home in Calabar on Sunday morning. The family is helping the police to make sure the killers are found. Perhaps it’s pertinent to state that six years before he was murdered, Felix had suffered a stroke whose burden he bore with grace. Nevertheless, the limitations imposed on him by the stroke denied him the joy of classroom teaching and much more. Felix Akpan was, therefore, not physically fit for any INEC role, and he didn’t take up any in the 2023 elections.
Police investigations are underway. The family wishes to use this opportunity to solicit the help of the public in the resolution of this murder. If any member of the public has any helpful information that can aid the police find the killer(s) of Felix, he should kindly contact the police.
Our God lives.
Signed ……
Innih AKPAN
