Death threats haunt aides after Mbonge Mayor's death

Death threats and open confrontations are trailing the late Mayor of Mbonge Council, Chief William Ekong Sakwe.

Chief Ekong Sakwe died on Friday, January 15, 2016.

While burial is awaited, one of the late Mayor’s deputies recently received an anonymous text message threatening him with death.

Again, the former Mayor's driver stopped short of slapping a man at the Sub-divisional headquarters of Mbonge for making threatening statements.

It is widely believed that some of late Ekong’s close aides might not attend his funeral in the early weeks of February 2016.

Meanwhile, the Mbonge Cultural and Development Organisation, MECDO, 42nd congress that was billed for Big Ngwandi this January ending has been postponed.

The Post also learnt that the Divisional Officer for Mbonge, Simon Sombe, has sealed the office of the late mayor and the council vehicle that was in his keeping withdrawn and parked at the gendarmerie.

The actions are said to be in line with legislative acts that will pave the way for council business to move on as usual.

On Monday, January 17, the First Deputy Mayor, Chief Graham Oponde Mesodi alongside the Municipal Treasurer Moses Nkai and the council scribe were spotted at the Meme SDO's office for an emergency meeting to ensure that the first deputy assumes office on an interim basis pending the election of a new mayor.

In a related story, the circumstances surrounding the death of Mayor Ekong reportedly angered a group of youth who destroyed the village shrine known as 'ethana'.

A resident of Nganjo confirmed the destruction of the said shrine and said the elders of the village will only have to build a new shrine for the village.