Findings reveal that zoning in APC has polarised the party into camps with each group armed to the teeth with can of worms against another.
Further investigations show that the camps are divided into three namely; Akpabio, Kalu and Yari camps. Each camp is doing everything possible to outwit one another in the game of smartness.
Extensive Search shows that in a bid to get Akpabio out as the favourite choice of the President, one of the contending camps sealed the engagement of Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, Mr Abdulrasheed Bawa to unravel his corruption baggage.
It was gathered that the EFCC Czar was said to have opened the can of worms of the series of financial crimes allegations being investigated by the commission which had necessitated the commission to invite Senator Akpabio twice but he failed to honour the invitation.
Bawa, at a closed-door meeting with the new President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Wednesday briefed the President on the ongoing investigation of Senator Akpabio on cases of corruption among other matters.
Competent security sources disclosed to our correspondent that the EFCC Chairman was upbeat on the Akpabio’s financial cases when he discussed them with his crack team in their office yesterday. The source who declined to give details of the directives given to the crack team on the matter, hinted that Senator Akpabio may soon be invited to EFCC again.
The EFCC Boss was in the Presidential Villa, ostensibly to brief the President on the rumpus between the commission and the DSS which led to the storming of the Ikoyi EFCC office on Tuesday. It was learned that the Ikoyi power tussle between DSS and EFCC officials on Tuesday was an aftermath of the power play amongst various camps gunning for the red chamber’s headship.
“The EFCC had severally invited Senator Akpabio for interrogation on sundry financial crimes allegations. He is at present facing corruption charges and has been invited to meet officials of the anti-graft commission, EFCC by Tuesday over cases of money laundering and misappropriation running into billions of Naira” thundered a classified source.
Among other allegations, Akpabio has been alleged of perpetrating a N40b fraud when he held sway at the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
In 2020, the Senate and the House of Representatives resolved to probe the alleged N40 billion financial recklessness of the Interim Management Committee of the NDDC being supervised by Akpabio. Also, there were allegations of over 86 billion Naira contract scam involving the Senator–elect and a former acting Managing Director of NDDC, Prof Kemebbradikumo Pondei which the EFCC has been investigating.
The EFCC had in the past arrested Godswill Akpabio over the alleged misappropriation of N108 billion of Akwa Ibom state funds.
The EFCC had earlier invited Akpabio to appear for questioning on March 29, but his lawyer, Umeh Kalu, SAN, in a letter to the anti-graft agency claimed that his client was suffering from pneumonia and cardiac arrhythmia.
Already most of the Senators-elect are withdrawing their support as they argued that it would tarnish the image of the Senate if one with baggage is allowed to head the highest legislative chamber in the country.
This development prompted the President who is the leader of APC to withdraw support for troubled Akpabio. Meanwhile, Kalu and Yari have continued to gain the support of the Senators-elect and other stakeholders of the party. A National Assembly source who spoke in confidence because of the sensitive nature of the matter, said “that Akpabio has been dumped by the President and APC, arguing that when the chips are down, Yari and Kalu will most likely unite for the headship and deputy of the red chamber”.
