Senator Akpabio was quizzed for several hours yesterday at the EFCC's headquarters in Abuja over allegations that of misappropriation and embezzlement while he was in office. He was picked up by the agency’s operatives at about 5:30pm in his house in Abuja and questioned at its headquarters for several hours before being released.
Dismissing the furore the matter caused, Senator Akpabio said there was nothing wrong with him responding to an EFCC request that he account for monies spent during his tenure. He also denied suggestions that he was arrested, pointing out that he visited the agency's office of his own volition following an earlier invitation.
Senator Akpabio said: “A young lawyer from my state has been petitioning the EFCC accusing me of corruption, so shortly before I got involved in an accident in August, the EFCC summoned me to come and respond to the allegations. However, following the accident, I wasn’t well enough to honour the EFCC summon and I let them know.
“So today, since I’m now well, and the senate did not sit, I decided to honour the EFCC so as to answer questions concerning the allegations against me. I wasn’t arrested as I walked in there myself and now I’m back at home. The EFCC operatives were professional. They asked questions, and I answered.”
He insisted the allegations against him were false, saying those making the allegations do not understand how government works. According to Senator Akpabio, the lawyer who dragged him to the EFCC submitted at least four different petitions and it would take a while for him to respond to each of the allegations.
“I am a law-abiding citizen and whenever I’m summoned to answer questions about how I served my people, I will always respond. I urge everyone who has served in public office not to be afraid to explain what they did and how they served,” Senator Akpabio added.
Apparently, the EFCC has launched investigations into alleged the stealing of N108.1bn (£350.5m) of Akwa Ibom State funds in June this year following the written petition by one Leo Ekpenyong, an Abuja lawyer. In the petition dated June 22, 2015, Mr Ekpenyong had stated that between January and December 2014, the ex-governor colluded with two of his personal aides to steal a huge sum of N108.1bn from the state’s treasury.
Mr Ekpenyong said: “Between January and December 2014, it is on record that the trio of Godswill Akpabio, Etekamba Umoren and Udo Isobara, made illegal but substantial withdrawals of cash from a designated state government-owned account with Zenith Bank with account number 1010375881 amounting to N22.1bn. It is worthy of note that reasons for such ungodly cash withdrawals against financial regulations and due process laws range between sundry use and unjustifiable expenditures by Akpabio and his numerous surrogates and proxies."
He added that the ex-governor also withdrew a huge sum of N18bn from the state account under the guise of special services, reception of very important guests and sundry items. Among the properties, which the petitioner claimed the ex-governor acquired through proxies include a multi-billion naira mansion at Plot 5 Okogosi Spring Close, off Katsina-Ala Crescent, Maitama-Abuja; a multi-billion naira mansionette at Plot 28 Colorado Close, Maitama, Abuja, a mansion at 22 Probyn Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, a property at Plot 23 Olusegun Aina Street, Parkview, Lagos and a multi-billion naira 25-storey building in Lagos.
Comments
Post a Comment