A group, Liberated People for Transparency and Good Representation Forum, in Akwa Ibom State, has debunked speculations particularly among the Young Progressives Party (YPP) supporters in the state that Governor Udom Emmanuel, indirectly interfered in the judgement which convicted the governorship candidate of the party, Senator Bassey Akpan.
The President of the group, Comrade Enefiok Umoh, who made this known during a press conference on Friday in Uyo, described the accusations leveled against the governor as unfounded, unnecessary, and regrettable.
The serving Senator was on Thursday sentenced to 42 years imprisonment by the Federal High Court sitting in Uyo on charges boarding on corruption.
Umoh noted that the case that ended the Senator in prison, started in 2010 when Emmanuel had not become the state governor.
He said the case was crystal clear and does not have any political coloration as the facts of the matter were laid bare before the court, and the appropriate verdict was given in line with the law.
“Although those loyal to the embattled senator who have been in the case since 2014 are pointing accusing fingers at the state governor Udom Emmanuel, giving it a political colouration and branding it a politically-sponsored travail using interpersonal deceptive theory to whip sentiment and mislead members of the public, the truth of the matter should be restated.
“However, to put the records straight, there is a need for one to have an understanding of the genesis of the case.
“On May 10, 2010, Obong Bassey Albert Akpan (then the Akwa Ibom state Commissioner for Finance) was alleged to have received from Jide Omokore, a businessman (who was later picked by the EFCC for questioning,) a BMW X5 (Bulletproof) worth N50 million; in December 2012 another Infinity QX 56 (bulletproof) worth N45 million was also received from the same source, and 4 other luxury vehicles worth millions of naira each.
“It is also interesting to note that OBA has directly admitted that he received all the said vehicles, though for campaign purposes, a position that the EFCC vehemently opposed to, as they claimed that those vehicles were luxury vehicles, and were proceeds of corruption, which contravenes section 15(12)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act of 2011, as (amended) and punishable by section 15(3) of the same Act.
“Quite interesting is the fact that it was Barr. Leo Ekpenyong, a strong supporter of Bassey Albert (who equally dragged Godswill Akpabio to the EFCC, though he later dropped Akpabio’s case but held on to OBA’s case) petitioned Bassey Albert to the EFCC in 2014 when Governor Udom Emmanuel was not yet a governor.
“OBA was arrested, the bulletproof vehicles were recovered and statements of accounts he paid the said monies to were traced, tendered, and admitted in court as evidence. He was later granted bail because he pleaded not guilty and continued to battle with the case since then till yesterday when the case was decided,” he added.
Umoh noted that the case was not between Governor Emmanuel or the State or an agency of the state, but was between the EFCC, an agency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and Senator Albert.
He said the governor has consistently stated that he does not even know the facts of the case, and is not directly or indirectly involved since it was the federal government agency that dragged Akpan to court and not the state.
However, the group advised the YPP members who were not satisfied with the judgment to seek redress instead of instigating members of the public against the governor using ‘interpersonal deceptive theory’.
Similarly, the Personal Assistant to the Governor on Media, Mr Richard Peters, said a cursory look into the character of Gov. Emmanuel clearly shows that he doesn’t play politics of bitterness and hatred.
He noted the governor is a man that believes in the rule of law and respects democratic principles, stressing that it amounts to gross ignorance to attempt to perceive the governor as a “vindictive clown”.
Peters emphasised that the governor will continue to play politics with human face and good conscience, and “no amount of deceit peddled around can change this glaring fact.”
