Godswill Akpabio says he died and resurrected after his car crash and London treatment

FOMER Akwa Ibom State governor Godswill Akpabio said he died and resurrected from the dead after being involved in a car accident in Abuja and rushed to London where he received treatment in a private hospital.

 

Earlier this month, Governor Akpabio's convoy was involved in an accident with a diplomatic car belonging to the US embassy after his security detail refused to stop at a set of traffic lights. Although not seen to be physically hurt, Governor Akpabio was subsequently flown to London in a private jet where he recuperated for several weeks.

 

Now back in Nigeria, Governor Akpabio said he had just returned from the land of the dead. Addressing a large crowd of Akwa Ibom people, who gathered Wednesday at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo, to mark the 28th anniversary of Akwa Ibom State, he said he lost consciousness for about an hour because of the impact of the crash.

 

Governor Akpabio added: “When that accident happened, I was rushing in the morning to join my daughter who was ill in her school abroad and when it happened I lost consciousness and all I shouted was God take care of my children and my people. Let me place on record the support of President Buhari who did something extraordinary as he called the hospital I was at in London and said put me through to the minority leader of the senate who is in your hospital."

 

Now a senator representing Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District, the former governor said that when he regained consciousness at the National Hospital, Abuja, he was surprised to see Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State sitting by his side. He told the ecstatic crowd in the 30,000-capacity stadium that support from the incumbent governor and President Buhari helped see him through.

 

Wearing Akwa Ibom chieftaincy attire yesterday, Governor Akpabio appeared at the stadium in typical grand style yesterday. He also used the opportunity to explain why the world class 20th Anniversary Hospital, Uyo, built during his administration, has not started operating several weeks after its commissioning.

 

Governor Akpabio has been criticised for flying abroad for medical treatment when he spent billions building a local hospital in Uyo.  He pointed out that the foreign doctors to be employed in the hospital were waiting for clearance from the Nigeria Immigration Services and relevant medical associations in the country before they could come in to start work.

 

He however insisted that the 20th Anniversary Hospital has superior facilities than the London hospital he went to. According to Governor Akpabio, the CT scan at the Uyo hospital has 640 slides compared with the 64 slides the one at the London hospital he visited has.