Akwa Ibom governor denounces ‘baseless’ ₦700bn fraud claims against predecessor 

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, has described as false, and spurious the rumours  making the rounds that his predecessor in office, Udom Emmanuel, has a case to answer over an allegation  of fraud before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

He said the allegations of misappropriation of ₦700bn are not only false but totally unfounded.

Speaking during the just concluded Town Hall meeting with the people of Abak Federal Constituency at the Abak Township Stadium, Governor Eno said his predecessor, Emmanuel, served the State meritoriously and deserves gratitude.

READ MORE: Ex-Akwa Ibom governor clears EFCC inquiry without detention

Emmanuel had visited the EFCC headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday evening to honour an invitation and despite being allowed to leave the same day and returning to his home in Lagos, a section of the media wrongly reported that he was being held by the anti- graft agency in relation to an alleged ₦700bn fraud under his watch.

Eno, dismissed the rumours, saying such figures and allegations are unknown to his government.

Eno said the attitude of  people trying to drag down leaders who sacrificed for the common good of the people, tends to discourage people from committing to service.

READ MORE: EFCC grills A’Ibom ex-governor over alleged N700b fraud

“Because at the end of the day, the people don’t show you that gratitude,” he said. “When a man has served his state meritoriously like Deacon Udom Emmanuel did, honestly, he should be honoured, he should be respected.

“And so I don’t see a place for this kind of information that is going on. It’s not correct.

“I don’t believe it should go on. I don’t believe so. So, I don’t know where they get the figures from. I don’t know where they churn it out from, but I can tell you as a sitting Governor, that it is not correct.

“It is not true. The media trial must and should stop forthwith. And we need to dimiss this issue with a pinch of salt,” the governor added.