State, Godswill Akpabio, has
returned to the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission,
EFCC, for more questioning after
he was allowed to go home Friday
night.
Mr. Akpabio, who is also the
incumbent minority leader of the
Senate, arrived the EFCC at 11.45
am Saturday, accompanied by his
counsel and Senior Advocate of
Nigeria, SAN, Rickey Tarfa and
some aides.
As soon as the former governor
arrived at the commission, he was
moved into the interrogation
room, a source who pleaded not
to be named because he is not
authorised to speak on the issue,
told PREMIUM TIMES.
Mr. Rickey Tarfa and aides to the
former governor watched
helplessly as the anti-graft
operatives led Mr. Akpabio away.
Our source also hinted that the
former governor might spend the
day with the commission.
He is still been interrogated by
crack detectives of the
commission as at the time of
filling this report.
Mr. Akpabio was quizzed by the
anti-graft agency on Friday
afternoon.
He was, however, allowed to go
home late in the night but asked
to report to the commission today
(Saturday).
Shortly after he regained his
freedom, Mr. Akpabio had given
insight into why he was
interrogated for several hours by
EFCC operatives.
Speaking with a PREMIUM TIMES
reporter shortly after he left the
EFCC headquarters late on Friday
night, Mr. Akpabio admitted that
he was summoned by the anti-
graft body to respond to several
allegations of corruption against
him.
He however said he was not
arrested, but that he honoured the
commission’s invitation
voluntarily.
“A young lawyer from my state
has been petitioning the EFCC
accusing me of corruption,” the
former governor said. “So shortly
before I got involved in an
accident in August, the EFCC summoned me to
come and respond to the allegations.
“But following the accident, I wasn’t well
enough to honour the EFCC summon. And I
let them know.
“So today, since I’m now well, and the Senate
did not sit, I decided to honour the EFCC so as
to answer questions concerning the allegations
against me.
“I wasn’t arrested. I walked in there myself
and now I’m back at home. The EFCC
operatives were professional. They asked
questions, and I answered.”
Mr. Akpabio insisted the allegations against
him were false, saying “those making the
allegations do not understand how
government works”.
The former governor, who is now Senate
Minority Leader, said the lawyer who dragged
him to the EFCC submitted at least four
different petitions, and that it would take a
while for him to respond to each of the
allegations.
“So I will return to the EFCC again as
necessary,” he said.
Mr. Akpabio added, “I am a law-abiding
citizen, and whenever I’m summoned to
answer questions about how I served my
people, I will always respond.
“I urge everyone who has served in public
office not to be afraid to explain what they did
and how they served.”
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