Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has dismissed as false the ₦700 billion fraud allegation leveled against his predecessor, Udom Emmanuel.......CONTINUE READING THE ARTICLE FROM THE SOURCE>>>>>
Naija News reports that the allegations, levelled by the Network Against Corruption and Trafficking (NACAT), is currently under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Speaking at a town hall meeting in Abak on Saturday, Eno questioned the source of the allegations, insisting that such figures did not originate from the state government.
“I don’t know where they get those figures from because it can’t be from Akwa Ibom State; it can’t be from us – we don’t have such figures,” he said.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governor criticized what he described as a pattern of vilifying past governors of the oil-rich South-South state since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999.
Eno expressed concerns over the continued fraud probes of former state leaders, arguing that it discourages those in power from giving their best.
“I begin to feel that how we treat our leaders after they have put in all their efforts to serve can be very discouraging,” he stated.
“We have done this consistently—from Obong Attah, to the distinguished Senate President (Godswill Akpabio), we also vilified him; we went to EFCC. Now, we are doing it to Gov Udom Emmanuel.”
The governor stressed that Emmanuel, who governed Akwa Ibom from 2015 to 2023, deserves honor and respect rather than scrutiny.
“When a man has served his state meritoriously like Governor Udom Emmanuel did, honestly, he should be honoured and respected. I don’t see a place for this kind of vilification that is going on; it is not correct – I don’t believe it should go on,” he said.
Eno added that such allegations should be “dismissed with a pinch of salt.”
The EFCC had on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, detained Emmanuel over the ₦700 billion fraud allegation, following claims that he engaged in money laundering and fund diversion during his tenure.
The petition alleged that Emmanuel received ₦3 trillion from the Federation Account over eight years but left the state with a ₦500 billion debt profile and unpaid projects worth ₦300 billion, while being unable to account for ₦700 billion.
