Gov Akpabio Refutes Car Gift Story To EFCC Boss…Demands Apology Over False Publication

By Usoro Usoro

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio, has again debunked rumours that he donated a bullet proof Mercedes Jeep to the chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC), Mrs Farida Waziri. The governor had earlier, when the story first made the rounds, denied through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Usoro I. Usoro, ever donating any car whatsoever to Mrs Waziri. In a rare display of transparency, on Tuesday, June 1, 2010, Usoro invited some journalists to Government House, to confirm for themselves that the said car was still in the governor’s fleet.

The latest reaction, which saw Akpabio demanding an unreserved apology from the owners of the online publication, was based on the insistence of an online newspaper, Saharareporters, the initial publishers of the story that they stood by their tale. In the earlier story, the online newspaper had claimed that Akpabio donated a bullet proof GL 450 SUV worth $500,000 with chassis number WDC 1648711A 390877 as gift to the EFCC chief. However, checks by the journalists confirmed that the number actually belongs to one of the security vehicles used by the governor.

Though it was considered against security protocols, the invitation of the journalists was actually meant to prove the open and transparent disposition of Akpabio’s government. Recently, there have been renewed attempt to resurrect the alleged car-gift story, in an apparent effort to discredit the person of Akpabio. According to Usoro, Akpabio never had any cause to bribe the EFCC boss as alleged by the publication. He made a similar comment in his December 08, 2008 reaction, in which he also flayed what he described as “ intemperate and uncivilised language used in the report”. He said: “The report failed to inform the public on why a governor who has no case with the anti-graft agency would want to “bribe” the EFCC chairman.

For the avoidance of any doubt, therefore, we state unequivocally, that Gov Akpabio has run one of the most transparent and accountable governments in recent times. His projects are well laid out in line with the contemporary current of due process, accountability and rule of law. His programmes are tangible, accessible and verifiable. Such a leader, who has nothing to hide about his government, therefore has no reason to either “bribe” or “induce” anybody, contrary to what the Saharareporters would want the world to believe.

Usoro said it is not clear why the said story deviated from its set target to attempt dragging Gov Akpabio into a needless fray. What is however very transparent, he added, is that there is no iota of truth in the report; specifically, as it concerns Gov Akpabio giving a car of any kind to the EFCC chairman.

“For emphasis, Gov Akpabio is not under any investigation by EFCC, hence, has no reason to offer bribe to anybody. He does not even believe or support bribery in any form as that would be contrary to his firm stand against the enter body of corruption. It should be noted that it is not every public office holder that is corrupt. Common sense and objectivity, the hallmark of good reporting, suggest that while it is okay to criticize a government when it does wrong, the same government should also be commended

when it baffles its critics, like Gov Akpabio has clearly done. We therefore expect the Saharareporters to refocus from this attitude of tarring everybody in government black or seeing every governor in negative light. Every Nigerian, including the Saharareporters publishers should rather give kudos to Gov Akpabio for his people-focused leadership; instead of tarring him with manufactured stories for whatever end”, he submitted

Usoro is the CPS to Gov Akpabio