By Emmanuel Abi Couson
A sociopolitical group, Ibibio Front, has pointed accusing fingers at the Senate President, Senator Goodwill Akpabio on the recent petition against the immediate past governor of Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Udom Emmnuel before the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), describing it as his continued annihilation of the Ibibios.
Our Correspondent gathered that an anti graft group in the auspices of Network Against Corruption and Trafficking (NACAT) had petitioned both the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC ) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Crimes Commission (ICPC) against the immediate past Akwa Ibom State governor, Emmanuel Udom, urging that the eight-year tenure of the former governor be thoroughly investigated.
In the petition dated January 21, 2025, signed by its operational manager, Stanley Ugabe and addressed to the chairmen of the two anti-graft agencies respectively
NACAT alleged that there was “wanton corruption and embezzlement of public funds orchestrated by former governor Udom Emmanuel in his eight years as governor”.
In the 28-page petition, NACAT alleged that based on its investigation, a whooping sum of about N700 billion remained unaccounted for during the eight-year tenure of Udom Emmanuel.
In it’s reaction, which is contained in a press statement on January 23 titled; “A Petition Against Mr Udom Emmanuel to the EFCC is Senator Akpabio’s Continued Annihilation of the Ibibio People”, endorsed by the group’s spokes person, Akparawa Nelson Utip and made available to Tribune, Ibibio Front suspects that the group rose at the behest and prompting of the Senate President, Godswill Obot Akpabio, to insult the immediate past governor of Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Udom Emmanuel.
“Those young men must be acting a script written for them by their paymaster, Senator Akpabio, an Annang man, who has a penchant, and he’s hellbent to bring down prominent Ibibio politicians in line with his vow to bring Ibibio at parity with minority ethnic groups in the State.
“It was Akpabio’s ‘anthem’ while he was the governor that “by the time he shall leave office as governor there would be nothing like majority ethnic group in the State.” Because of this mindset, Mr. Akpabio as governor had to fight and ensure the removal of Ambassador Sam Edem from office as Chairman of NDDC. He alleged everything against the man, and even paid the media to testify against him.
Akpabio had on several occasions been accused by Senator John James Akpanudoedehe as being responsible for his removal from office as Minister of State for FCT, despite the fact that it was this same Akpanudoedehe who was instrumental to the success of his governorship ambition in 2007, even against the wishes of his blood brothers.
“As governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Akpabio insulted and humiliated his predecessor and benefactor, Obong Victor Attah. He called him names and paid some hoodlums and political scallywags to insult him, and even denied the man the use of Le Meridien Hotel for his 71st birthday celebration, in spite of the fact that Le Meridien Hotel and Golf Course were built by Obong Attah.
“As governor, Akpabio humiliated Obong Umana Umana and Obong Nsima Ekere out of office as SSG and Deputy Governor respectively because of his penchant to disgrace every Ibibio politician.
“During his tenure as governor, prominent Ibibio politicians and business men were either kidnapped or killed, and some were kidnapped and killed at the same time. General Edet Akpan, Her Excellency Mrs. Sam Ewang, and over 100 others were kidnapped, while Madam Philomena Udonwa, Barr. Imo Udonwa, Mr. Paul Inyang, Mrs. Maria Ikpe, among others were killed because of their divergent political views (which were pro-Ibibio) during Akpabio’s time as governor. ‘Use the tongue to count the teeth”. The statement recounts
“Despite his short comings as governor of our state, we were happy that our son is the number 3 man in Nigeria because of his position as the Senate President, and thought he would use the position to better the lots of Akwa Ibom people, but instead of using his position to attract development to the State, Senator Akpabio rather uses it to divide the State along ethnic lines, and uses it to enhance his evil business of stampeding the Ibibio people, which is the reason he is sponsoring a group made up of a non-Akwa Ibom person and two of his Annang brothers to commence an attack on Mr. Udom Emmanuel (the only Ibibio man left).
“The reason why Akpabio is sponsoring attacks on Mr. Udom Emmanuel is to “deal” with Mr. Udom so that a way could be paved for him and his cohorts to humiliate Pastor Umo Eno out of office in 2027.
“Senator Akpabio has been boasting that he cannot be a Senate President without installing an APC governor in his State. And that he would do anything to win Akwa Ibom State for the APC in 2027. Thus, in his thinking, the only way to have an APC governor is to blackmail Mr. Udom Emmanuel (an Ibibio son) whom he feels and knows has the necessary connection, wit and strategy to defeat Gov. Umo Eno in 2027.
“The so-called “petition to the EFCC against Mr. Udom Emmanuel” is a decoy by Akpabio to divert attention from his actual game plan. He knows Mr. Udom Emmanuel has not stolen a kobo from Akwa Ibom State. We dare say that the only person that has some questions to answer from the EFCC is Senator Akpabio who seem to forget how Mr. Udom Emmanuel used his office as the governor to block the EFCC from investigating him against the wishes of the majority of the people of the State who were aware of how the State’s funds were spent on frivolities by Akpabio.
“It is Akpabio that deserves to be reported to the EFCC to account for the 31 industries he said he would build without building, yet money meant for them were taken out from the State’s coffers. And lot more.” It continued.
It therefore, warn the Senate President to call ‘his boys’ to order and stop attacking Ibibio sons, directly or by proxies, even as it urged the Ibibio elders, youths, stakeholders to stand by their son to avoid further humiliation of the Ibibio race.
