Protesters Demand Probe Of Akpabio For ‘Omitting To Declare Assets’

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Godswill Akpabio, lawmaker representing Akwa Ibom North West at the Senate, has been accused of allegedly omitting to declare some assets traced him.

Mr Akpabio, a former governor of Akwa Ibom State, was
accused by protesters under the aegis of Civil Society Groups for
Accountability and Probity on Monday, same day the Chief Justice of
Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, was arraign for similar offence.

The
protesters who demanded the probe of the former governor made the
accusation in a petition submitted at the zonal office of the Economic
and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Wuse 2, Abuja, on Monday.

Jonathan
Ogwuche, who spoke on behalf of the group said the lawmaker had in 2017
claimed to to have eight buildings, while in 2011 he declared 10
buildings.

“Curiously however and of worrisome note, in 2016
following an investigative report by an online media, it was alleged
that he was among those with properties in Dubai.

“Contrary to
claims by Sen. Akpabio, the ‘following outlandish properties’ located at
the under-listed addresses could also be traced to him as follows:

“1.
Plot 5 Ikogosi Spring Close, off Katsina-Ala Crescent, Maitama-Abuja;
2. Plot 28 Colorado Close, Maitama; 3. 22 Probyn Road, Ikoyi, Lagos and
4. Plot 23 Olusegun Aina Street, Parkview, Lagos.”

Ogwuche said the properties ”are conspicuously missing in the asset declaration of the former governor”.

“With
the exception of a Bedford armour bus which he claimed to be a gift,
cars declared in 2007 were copied and pasted in 2011. This doesn’t
represent the reality on ground as he is known to move about in a fleet
of cars.”

The protesters claimed a son of the former governor
”who is said to have a property in Abuja (in 2007 declaration) at Games
village acquired on 1-1-2005 worth a value of N16.9 million has an
annual income of just N350,000, while in 2011 declaration, the value
remained unchanged”.

“The source of the house is questionable. We
can incontrovertibly submit that Senator Akpabio freely dished out the
finances of Akwa Ibom State to his children, friends and other family
members while corruptly enriching himself with same at the detriment of
the state,” the group added.

Akpabio has so far dismissed the allegations.

“This
is not the first time we are going to EFCC. We have been responding to
petitions since we left office in 2015,” Anietie Ekong, a media aide to
the former governor was quoted by Premium Times as saying while
responding to the allegation.

Mr Ekong said the petitioners were
pursuing a ‘political vendetta’. He added that previous petitions had
been withdrawn “by their originators because of lack of evidence”.

Akpabio
who served as two term governor of the state and elected senator on the
platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has dumped the now
opposition party to the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) last year.

He is one of the those championing the re-election campaign of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Source:- Politicstimesng

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