“Why EFCC Could Not Prosecute Me Despite Allegations Of Corruption” – Akpabio

SENATOR Godswill Akpabio, has stated why the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), could not prosecute him despite allegations of corruption levelled against him.

Mr Akpabio, a serving senator, had ruled Akwa Ibom State from May 2007 to May 2015 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP).

The former governor was being investigated by the EFCC for alleged gift of N1.4bn to a bank for unknown reasons.

Akpabio had also being probed on allegations of embezzling N108bn during his tenure between 2007 and 2015.

But the lawmaker defecting to the All Progressive Congress (APC) on Wednesday stated that he was innocent as nothing incriminating was found on him during the investigation carried out by the anti-graft agency.

“Some people are saying I moved to APC because a gun was pointed on my head. A young man wrote a petition against me and the petition was filled with lies… I have never been charged to court… The EFCC did not find anything on me,” Akpabio said while addressing his supporters at a rally organised to receive him into the APC at the Ikot Ekpene Township stadium.

“For those who said I am a traitor, I will never be a traitor. Those who are ganging up to stop the government of the day, we won’t see election if we follow them. We won’t see February 2019,” he added.

The former governor also said his defection to the APC is for the interest of the state and the Niger Delta region.

“Our people should be part and parcel of Nigeria. We don’t believe in segregation. The region as a minority cannot stand on its own.

“The south-south having the major resources of this country should also partake in the sharing of the resources. What I have done today is to take the people of the south-south to the centre; to link Akwa Ibom to the centre,” added.

Akpabio also said he was joining the APC to sweep away poverty from the lives of the residents of the state.

“As I speak to you now, those who are from the national assembly are all here. Thousands of you all were in PDP yesterday, are you not in APC today? I accept this broom to sweep away poverty form your life.”