• Akpabio Behind ‘Smear Campaign’ Against Udom — PDP
• Akpabio Too Focused On NASS Affairs, No Time For Trivial Matters — APC
By Kolawole Ojebisi
The recent invitation of former governor of Akwa-Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel, by the Economic and Financial Crimes and Commission (EFCC) has sparked war of words between the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party.
The PDP, through its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba launched the first salvo by accusing the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, of orchestrating the move describing it as a “smear campaign”.
“Our party is aware of a well-oiled scheme reportedly engineered by the Senate President to compromise a section of the media to spread false allegations against Udom Emmanuel.
“The latest attempt is to falsely portray Udom Emmanuel as being indicted by the EFCC while bandying spurious and fictitious figures to mislead the public,” Ologunagba has stated.
But in a swift reaction, the APC Media Network in Akwa Ibom State, debunked the claim by the opposition urging it to leave Akpabio out of the matter.
In a statement by its Director General, Iniobong John, in Uyo on Saturday, emphasised that the Senate president was too preoccupied with matters of national importance and, therefore, had no interest in such trivial matters.
John argued that the primary mandate of EFCC is to investigate and prosecute economic and financial crimes in the country, stating that reports regarding Mr. Emmanuel’s invitation cannot be attributed to a smear campaign orchestrated by Senator Akpabio or any other individual.
“The APC Media Network has been compelled to address the defamatory allegations made by the factional National Publicity Secretary of the People’s Democratic Party, Debo Ologunagba, against the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio.
“We note that the factional National Publicity Secretary of the PDP failed to deny the fact that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission indeed invited former Governor Udom Emmanuel. Mr. Emmanuel himself has acknowledged honoring the EFCC’s invitation, albeit without clarifying the purpose behind it.
“The primary mandate of the EFCC is to investigate and prosecute economic and financial crimes in the country. Therefore, the reports regarding Mr. Emmanuel’s invitation by the EFCC cannot be attributed to a smear campaign orchestrated by Senator Akpabio or any other individual.
“We categorically assert that Senator Godswill Akpabio, the President of the Senate, has no business disseminating the news of the arrest/invitation of the former Governor Udom Emmanuel.
“As the Senate President, he is focused on overseeing the operations of the National Assembly and has no interest in engaging with trivial matters.
“It’s unfortunate that the factional National Publicity Secretary of the PDP could condescend to make baseless and malicious statements, John said.
The DG, who disclosed that the report was conceived and sponsored by the PDP government, requested to know if Akpabio was also behind the arrest and prosecution of former Governors, including Yahaya Bello and Ifeanyi Okowa, by the EFCC.
According to John, “But we know that the press release by the factional National Publicity Secretary of the PDP was conceived and sponsored by the PDP government in Akwa Ibom State.
“Some tribal bigots in the state have been propagating false propaganda that Senator Akpabio was behind the petition against ex-governor Udom Emmanuel.
“We challenge the PDP’s factional National Publicity Secretary to deny the fact that Mr. Udom Emmanuel was actually invited/arrested by the EFCC before accusing others of being behind the spreading of the news.
“We also ask if Senator Godswill Akpabio was the mastermind behind the arrest of former Governors Yahaya Bello and Ifeanyi Okowa, among others who have been investigated and prosecuted by the EFCC. This highlights the naivety, cluelessness and pettiness of the factional National Publicity Secretary of the PDP.
“The APC Media Network condemns the PDP’s shameless attempt to manipulate public opinion and tarnish Senator Akpabio’s reputation. Their desperate efforts to discredit him will not distract from their glaring failures.”
