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Governor of Akwa Ibom State Udom Emmanuel
An anti-graft organisation, the Network Against Corruption and Trafficking, has called for a thorough investigation into the tenure of the former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel.
The group also petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission to scrutinise Udom’s eight years in office.
In the petition released on Tuesday, signed by its operational manager, Stanley Ugabe, the organisation said that the former governor should be compelled to respond to the allegations levelled against him.
The group stated, “If immediate past governors like Ifeanyi Okowa and Yahaya Bello can be invited, probed, and face prosecution, Udom should not be exempted from giving an account of the allegations against him.”
However, in an interview with our correspondent on Tuesday, the spokesperson for the former governor, Stephen Abia, dismissed the allegations as baseless and aimed at tarnishing his principal’s reputation.
He said, “We saw the petition on social media today, and we know those behind it are making baseless claims in an attempt to damage the former governor’s image. The petition is frivolous and cannot be substantiated.
“Governor Emmanuel built schools, roads, and other infrastructure and was never linked to any fraud case throughout his administration. The former governor handed over documents to his successor, and there was no case of missing funds. Therefore, the call for the EFCC and ICPC investigation is irrelevant.”
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