Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has dismissed as “false” the allegation that his predecessor, Udom Emmanuel, was involved in a N700 billion fraud while serving as governor.
Mr Emmanuel served as governor of oil-rich Akwa Ibom from 2015 to 2023. He was succeeded by Mr Eno, who previously served as his commissioner for Lands and Water Resources.
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A group, Network against Corruption and Trafficking, in a petition to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), accused Mr Emmanuel of committing N700 billion fraud while he was governor.
Acting on the petition, the anti-graft agency questioned Mr Emmanuel on Tuesday. The former governor honoured the EFCC’s invitation at its office in Abuja.
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Speaking on Saturday in Abak, where he kicked off a Town Hall meeting that will take place in the state’s 10 federal constituencies, Mr Eno dismissed the allegation against Mr Emmanuel as “false and totally unfounded.”
“I don’t know where they get those figures from because it can’t be from Akwa Ibom State; it can’t be from us – we don’t have such figures,” Mr Eno said.
The governor expressed displeasure at how past Akwa Ibom governors, beginning with Victor Attah (1999 – 2007), Godswill Akpabio (2007- 2015), and his predecessor, Mr Emmanuel, are being treated despite the sacrifices they made for the state, describing it as “discouraging.”
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Mr Akpabio, now Senate president, was also petitioned after serving as state governor. He honoured the invitation and was briefly detained by the EFCC.
Nothing has been heard about the investigation after Mr Akpabio, then a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress.
Mr Eno said he feels he would suffer a similar fate after serving as governor.
“I’m already expecting that it will happen to me but what this does is to discourage leadership; it discourages you from giving your best, from burning out yourself because at the end of the day, the people don’t show you that gratitude.
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“When a man has served his state meritoriously like Governor Udom Emmanuel did, honestly, should be honoured, and should be respected.
“I don’t see a place for this kind of vilification that is going on; it is not correct – I don’t believe it should go on.”
Mr Eno said the allegation against Mr Emmanuel should be dismissed.
“It is not correct, it is not truthful, and we need to just dismiss it with a pinch of salt,” he said.
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