The Network Against Corruption and Trafficking (NACAT), says the emergence of a former Akwa-Ibom State governor, Godswill Akpabio, as the next Senate President will weaken the zeal of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and its ICPC counterpart in the fight against corruption.
The organisation specifically said the Akpabio-led 10th Senate would definitely enact some laws that will whittle down the power of the anti-graft agencies considering the fact that he’s currently undergoing probe over alleged looting of his State when he held sway.
Akpabio, who is the choice of the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, and the ruling All Progressives Congress to become Senate President, is currently being investigated by the EFCC over multi-million contracts he awarded when he was governor of his State between 2007 and 2015.
Addressing journalists in Abuja Tuesday, NACAT Operational Manager, Stanley Ugagbe, described Akpabio’s planned ascension as the number three citizen in the country as “a reward for monumental corruption”.
He said, “The questions begging for answers are: How will the All Progressives Congress (APC) accuse the PDP government of wasting 16 years of our nationhood and still reward a PDP-man in Mr Godswill Akpabio who is part of the destruction of Nigeria and only joined APC 6 years ago?
“It is akin to giving a PDP member the number three position in the land and saying that APC lied against PDP destroying Nigeria. To make Akpabio a Senate is a reward for monumental corruption orchestrated in Akwa-Ibom and the Ministry of Niger-Delta/NDDC.
“How will Akpabio be allowed to preside over the same Senate when he accused the entire Senators as being behind the corruption in NDDC during NDDC probe? Giving Akpabio Senate President mandate is to whittle down the fight against corruption as he will enact laws that will weaken the EFCC and ICPC since he has cases with them.”
But in a swift reaction, Akpabio described the anti-graft agencies’ probe against him and his previous administrations as governor and Minister as “blackmail”, arguing that he’s aware that some people are behind efforts to bring him down at all costs.
The Senate President hopeful, who spoke through his media aide, Jackson Udom, in an interview with Daily Trust, said his colleagues in the Stability Group are working around the clock to make him the Senate President of the 10th Senate.
He said, “Investigation is not a conviction. Every public officer could be investigated after leaving office and that is the right thing to do. Senator Akpabio left office eight years ago after a meritorious service to Akwa Ibom State and his legacies and performance as the state governor from 2007-2015, are still visible in all nook and cranny of the state.
“The question then is, why this letter to the EFCC now? Why all these blackmail and lies now? The answer is not far-fetched. Akpabio wants to be Senate President, he remains the candidate to beat and he must be brought down at all costs by those who can’t match his acceptance by his colleagues.
“His colleagues in the Stability Group are working around the clock to make him the Senate President of the 10th Senate, through the support of their colleagues across party lines. Their major concern is to give stability to the President-elect’s administration when it comes on stream on May 29, 2023.”
