EFCC says it will not stop investigations into Akpabio's tenure despite his defection to the APC

ECONOMIC and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) officials have dropped a bombshell revealing that investigations into the activities of Senator Godswill Akpabio will continue despite his recent defection to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Yesterday, at a rally in Ikot Ekpene, Senator Akpabio formally left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), of which he has been a member since 1999 and joined the APC. Between 2007 and 2015, Senator Akpabio was the Akwa Ibom State governor and the EFCC have been investigating his tenure and it is believed that he decamped to avoid being prosecuted.

Speaking yesterday at the rally, senator Akpabio said that he was a man of peace that had no case to answer with the EFCC, adding that the young man who wrote petition against him to the commission could not prove his case. He expressed confidence in the fact that he could not be charged as he did not commit any act of impropriety or engage in corrupt while he was governor.

Senator Akpabio said: “Those petitions to the EFCC have been sorted out. As I stand today, I have not been charged to court because nothing was found against me.”

However, EFFCC spokesman Wilson Uwujaren, said his case was still ongoing. He added: “The EFCC does not close cases or give clearance to anybody.”

In 2015, Senator Akpabio was accused of diverting over N100bn ($277m) from the oil-rich state, an allegation which he has denied. He has visited the EFCC several times to answer questions about what he did with the funds but so far, no formal charges have been brought against him.

Things appear to be rough for Senator Akpabio at the moment, as yesterday, some stakeholders in his senatorial district gathered at Ritman College in Ikot Ekpene to denounce his defection and affirm, their support for the incumbent Akwa Ibom State governor Udom Emmanuel. According to Emmanuel Ibok Essien, former deputy chief whip of the senate and founder of Ritman University, the resignation of Godswill Akpabio as senate minority leader was without the support of the people, adding that his defection was a shameful act.

Mr Essien, who said he was the director general of Senator Akpabio’s senatorial campaign, expressed dismay that the former senate minority leader took the decision to defect without the courtesy of informing him and other dignitaries in the district. He maintained that the people had withdrawn the endorsement and the support they had earlier given to Senator Akpabio.

According to Mr Essien, the defection would mean a liberation to the people of the area, since according to him, out of the 54 appointments in the district, Senator Akpabio got 34 for the people of his local government area. He maintained that Governor Emmanuel, who is from Akwa Ibom south senatorial district of the state would serve for eight years since Senator Akpabio from Ikot Ekpene senatorial district had also served for eight years.