Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel, has denied the allegation that he bribed the Chairman of the Election Petition Tribunal in the state, Justice WO Akanbi, to influence judgment in favour of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senatorial candidate, Obong Chris Ekpenyong in the Akwa Ibom North-west senatorial petition matter.
Senator Godswill Akpabio of the All Progressives Congress (APC), now Niger Delta Affairs minister, is seeking to upturn the victory of Ekpenyong as senator for Akwa Ibom North-west senatorial election.
Emmanuel’s denial is coming on the heels of an allegation by a lawyer, Mr. Leo Ekpenyong, who allegedly claimed that the governor doled out $1.4million to Akanbi, with a view to securing justice for the PDP.
Ekpenyong, in an interview with a local newspaper in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom state capital, had accused the governor of trying to bend the course of justice in favour of Ekpenyong and the PDP.
But governor Emmanuel, speaking through his Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Uwemedimo Nwoko, described the allegation as completely bereft of truth and asked Ekpenyong, to substantiate his allegation with fact or be ready to face legal action.
“We state most categorically and without any equivocation that there is absolutely no iota of truth in Leo Ekpenyong’s wild and unsubstantial allegation.
“Governor Udom Emmanuel does not know and has never met with Honourable Justice Akanbi or any other Judge in the panel; His Excellency has made no personal contact or through a proxy with any of the Judges.
“It is therefore, most uncharitable and unconscionable for Leo Ekpenyong and his pay masters to attempt to rubbish and bring to disrepute the sterling reputation of and character of governor Emmanuel”, he said.
The Attorney General, who described Leo Ekpenyong, as “a serial blackmailer”, recalled that he had in time past blackmailed Akpabio, to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices (and other related offences) Commission (ICPC), adding that “Akpabio succumbed to his blackmail paid him handsomely”.
For the government to hands-off the matter, Nwoko asked Leo Ekpenyong to produce factual evidence within seven days and publish same in three reputable national newspapers or be ready to face the full weight of his action in the court of law.
