By Samuel Abasiekong-Abasiekong
A press statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary of the People Democratic Party PDP, Hon. Debo Ologunagba has pointedly accused Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio, the President of the 10th Nigerian Senate as the main actor who drafted and executed the fake arrest and detention of former Governor Udom Emmanuel by the Economic Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) on March 4, 2025.
Independent findings by www.9newsng.com had earlier informed this medium through a publication made by trusted news source managed by one Manfred Ekpe Esq saying the fake news about former Governor Emmanuel’s “arrest and detention” was cooked in the kitchen of the President of Senate, Chief Godswill Akpabio and distributed to several media houses with a huge monetary backup.
“The fact that all the tabloids published the same information, same story and quoted the same sources points to the fact that there were no independent findings but that one source authored to story and distributed it to the Press” Barr Ekpe said.
Barr. Ekpe in his revelations further said: “It was Akpabio’s aide, one Mr. Ekong who drafted the story and personally shared it to media houses, thus making it go viral”.
While concerned individuals and organizations are still in the search of what really led to the “arrest and detention” of the immediate past Governor of Akwa Ibom State, the People Democratic Party PDP on March 7, berates Akpabio for plotting a smear campaign against Udom Emmanuel.
Pointedly the PDP in its Press Statement said:
“Our Party has already been made aware of a well-oiled scheme reportedly engineered by the Senate President to compromise a section of the media to engage in smear campaign through circulation of falsehood, misrepresentations and unsubstantiated allegations of corruption against Udom Emmanuel.
The latest being the attempt to portray Udom Emmanuel as being indicted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) while bandying spurious and fictitious figures to mislead the unsuspecting public.
Senator Akpabio should know that such an unholy enterprise cannot succeed as Nigerians have already seen through his machinations against the former governor, Udom Emmanuel.
Moreover, it is on record that Udom Emmanuel served meritoriously as Governor of Akwa Ibom State and left an impeccable record of transparent, prudent and service-driven management of resources with exceptional legacy of massive infrastructural, citizen empowerment and human capital development projects in all critical productive and service sectors including aviation, manufacturing, education, hospitality, healthcare, power, housing among others which further positioned Akwa Ibom State as a model of good governance in our country.
Our Party counsels Senator Akpabio to leave Udom Emmanuel alone and focus on the many challenges facing him in the National Assembly”, PDP said in its Press Statement.
It could be recalled that on January 21, 2025 the Network Against Corruption and Trafficking (NACAT) allegedly by sponsored by Senator Akpabio and managed by Fejiro Oliver as surrogate, claimed to have submitted a petition in EFCC against former Governor Emmanuel.
But Barr. Manfred Ekpe, whose report stands the test of credibility said the immediate past governor of Akwa Ibom State was not at the anti craft agency EFCC based on NACAT petition, but on routine invitation fixed by the agency for past governors of Udom Emmanuel batch.
“It is a routine practice of EFCC that all former governors in Nigeria must submit themselves before the anti-graft agency for questioning on some grey areas about their administration. Former Governor Udom Emmanuel, as his counterparts, have severally honoured several EFCC invitations in this respect since he left office and before Fejiro’s frovilous petition. This fact is well known to the President of Senate’s camp.
On 4th March 2025 the former governor made just one of such routine visits to the agency and arrived the office at 3:30 pm only for fake news of his arrest and detention to hit the news stable. His Excellency left the EFCC facility by 8:30 pm, leaving behind some former governors to take their turn.
I can authoritatively say that Mr Udom Emmanuel was not confronted with Fejiro’s petition at all. And the question of 700 Billion Naira purported fleece by the former governor seems to have been ignored by EFCC on the face of it as the amount is ridiculously outrageous that no state has capacity to keep such amount talk less of one person stealing such amount from the state coffers.”, Barr Ekpe submitted
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Samuel Abasiekong-Abasiekong is a Senior Editor of 9News Nigeria (www.9newsng.com) Reporting in English and French languages
E-mail: [email protected] +234 8062700985
