Mr. Robinson Uwak, a member of the 7th House of Representatives, has opened up on why he joined the campaign to have the Federal Government arrest and prosecute Senator Godswill Akpabio, a former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, and current Senate Minority Leader.
In a statement made available to SaharaReporters Mr. Uwak, also a member of the Buhari-Osinbajo Presidential Campaign Council, described Mr. Akpabio as the head of Nigeria’s most notorious crime family.
According to the statement, Mr. Akpabio’s crimes include massive looting of the resources of Akwa Ibom State during his tenure as governor, the sponsorship of criminal activities in the South-South geo-political zone, and the funding of lacerating media reports against the government of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Citing instances of Mr. Akpabio’s alleged involvement in criminality, Mr. Uwak referred to a statement issued by Senator Theodore, and signed by his media adviser, Mr. Don Norman.
The statement exposed Mr. Akpabio as the man behind kidnappings in the country.
He also said the former Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, at a convocation ceremony of Babcock University suggested that Mr. Akpabio may have embezzled 99% of revenues accruing to Akwa Ibom State between 2007 and 2015.
“She boldly declared on her authority as the then Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy that only 1% percent of the state's resources had been invested in the state,” his statement read.
“Okonjo-Iweala went further to encourage citizens to ask questions, but none could dare ask, knowing what could befall anyone who attempted to question the most brutal and feared family to come out of Akwa Ibom State,” Mr. Uwak claimed.
He also referred to the recent mention of Akpabio’s name by a faction of the Niger Delta Avengers as one of the group’s principal sponsors. The naming of Mr. Akpabio, he said, did not come as a surprise to those familiar with the story of the former governor. A report, according to Mr. Uwak by an Ad hoc committee of the 7th House of Representatives indicted Akpabio for pipeline vandalism, illegal bunkering and diversion of crude oil and grave economic sabotage.
However, the report of the committee, he alleged, was never made public because the former governor bribed members of the House with copious amounts of dollars.
Mr. Uwak also alleged that certain elements within the law enforcement agencies, judiciary, and prominent political figures were manipulated by Mr. Akpabio to stop investigations into his criminal activities.
He also claimed that the illicit wealth amassed over the years is currently being used to destabilize the Buhari administration and to derail its anti-corruption drive.
“The Akpabio crime family has injected billions into the print, electronic and social media, provoking an unprecedented media onslaught against the current administration.
While every program of government is criticized, the crime boss and his associates enjoy positive media coverage,” the statement claimed.
Mr. Uwak called on the Buhari administration to immediately arrest and prosecute Akpabio.
