The Network Against Corruption and Trafficking Initiative (NACAT) has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate former Akwa Ibom Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel for misappropriating state funds during his tenure.
NACAT alleged that Emmanuel mismanaged N1.5 trillion, and accused his wife, Dr Martha Emmanuel for acquiring a $580,000 property in the United States of America and questioned the source of the funds.
NACAT said the alleged misappropriated N1.5 trillion and the $580,000 property have sparked outrage among the people of Akwa Ibom state, who are demanding accountability on how he managed the state resources under his watch from May29, 2015 to 29 May 29, 2023.
The petition was signed by its Executive Director, Investigation, Fejiro Tega; Operation Manager, Stanley Ugabe; Michael Ekpo alongside Victor Thompson from Akwa Ibom state.
NACAT further alleged that N700 billion could not be accounted for out of over N3 trillion that came into the Akwa Ibom State coffers during Emmauel’s eight years tenure.
“The former governor left a debt profile of over N500 billion and unpaid ongoing projects worth over N300 billion, with abandoned projects littered all over the state,” it stated.
NACAT stated that the former governor, through his cronies, allegedly awarded contracts to companies owned by his allies through which funds were siphoned from the state’s coffers.
According to the group, over N4.5 billion was withdrawn and claimed to be given to security agencies in a space of six months, while over N10 billion was spent in 2018 alone, as security votes.
The group also said Emmanuel spent over N100 billion to build 31 industries that never saw the light of the day.
“Greenwell Technologies Limited located in Abak Local Government which was claimed to be a PPP actually had 100 per cent ownership by Akwa Ibom with N650 million paid by Udom in 2016 to kickstart the fertilizer company,” the group alleged.
Also speaking, NACAT’s Director of Compliance, Mr Light Shedrack, said the group decided to officially send a petition to the EFCC chairman and would be ready to stand as witness in due course if called upon.
“As a leading anti-corruption group in Nigeria, we will fail in our duties and responsibilities if we turn a blind eye to the wanton corruption and embezzlement of public funds orchestrated by former Gov. Udom Emmanuel.
“We have painstakingly investigated and audited many of the financial records of the state available to us and detailed our findings here as part of our petition’’.
“The diversion of funds and primitive massive acquisition of properties by Udom and his family members, has left the residents and indigenes of the state wondering why the EFCC has not invited him for questioning and prosecution,” Shedrack submitted.
However, the immediate past commissioner for Information, Comrade Ini Ememobong has slammed the petitioners of Udom Emmanuel for subjecting him to what he termed as “sustained vitriolic media trial” describing it as unfair and questionable.
In a statement in Uyo, Ememobong who also served as Information Commissioner in the Udom Emmanuel administration said the petitioners have already passed judgement instead of asking questions.
According to him, an analysis of the disposition and demands of the petitioners paint a picture that the only acceptable outcome for them is sending Udom Emmanuel to jail, irrespective of his guilt or innocence.
He said the Petitioners might have either neglected or intentionally refused to make any reference to the entries in the statutory books of account by that administration, rather preferring to make high claims of fraud of humongous sums, playing to the emotions, not reason of the populace.
“It is needful to state that during the tenure of that administration, apart from the statutory channels of accountability, Governor Udom Emmanuel, as he then was, voluntarily submitted himself to public accountability through live media engagements with the citizens via the programme’’
“It is my view that a sincere demand for accountability must be done with an open mind rather than a judgmental mindset, or else the petitioners will be blinded by their passion, against the truth”. He stated.
In his reaction, former Presidential Liaison to the National Assembly, Senator, Ita Enang, stated that through a Radio and Television programme on TEAM Nigeria, the issues raised had always been alluded to in the past.
Enang said, ‘‘that for the referenced 8 years plus advocacy in the Akwa Ibom wilderness, I was taken to Court on the question whether Udom Emmanuel’s administration was the worst government in Nigeria, for which question we are at the Court of Appeal, Abuja. So, the issue is not the person behind the petition, but if there are questions to answer on tenure’’.
Findings reveal that during the Udom Emmanuel administration pensioners were complaining of lack of payment of pensions. Also, projects initiated by his administration including, Peacock paint, St Gabriel coconut factory, Jubilee syringe company, Flour mill industry, Car assembly plant among others had stopped working as soon as the former governor left office.
