A’Ibom APC Slams PDP for Alleging Akpabio’s Involvement in Udom’s EFCC Ordeal
Uko Okon, Uyo
The All Progressives Congress (APC) Media Network in Akwa Ibom State has debunked a media report by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) linking Senate President Godswill Akpabio to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) ‘s smear campaign against former Governor Udom Emmanuel.
The recent invitation extended to Udom Emmanuel by the anti-graft agency has sparked debate within the PDP, with National Publicity Secretary Debo Ologunagba stating that the Senate President was behind the campaign.
“Our party is aware of a well-oiled scheme reportedly engineered by the Senate President to compromise a section of the media and 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 said.
However, the APC Media Network, in a statement by its Director-General, Iniobong John on Sunday in Uyo, urged the PDP to leave Akpabio out of the matter.
He emphasised that the Senate President is too preoccupied with matters of national importance to be involved in such trivial matters.
John argued that the primary mandate of the 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 PDP against the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio,” John said.
The DG disclosed that the report was conceived and sponsored by the PDP government and requested to know if Akpabio was also behind the arrest and prosecution of former governors, including Yahaya Bello and Ifeanyi Okowa, by the EFCC.
“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,” John said.
The APC Media Network condemned the PDP’s attempt to manipulate public opinion and tarnish Senator Akpabio’s reputation, stating that their desperate efforts to discredit him will not distract him from their own glaring failures.
