The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has asked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to publicise the outcome of its probe on former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs and former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio.
The EFCC had begun a probe into the alleged theft of N108.1 billion of Akwa Ibom funds by Akpabio, who was governor from 2007 to 2015 under the then ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP).
After detaining Akpabio over the alleged fraud, EFCC later freed him.
In a statement by its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, HURIWA, expressed disappointment that despite the multiple corruption allegations on Akpabio, the ruling APC chose him as its preferred choice for the Number 3 position of Senate President.
The 10th National Assembly is billed for inauguration in June.
HURIWA recalled that EFCC recently asked Akpabio to turn himself in on May 9 over corruption investigations, but the agency suddenly went mute.
This was after the Senator shunned previous summons by the anti-graft agency in March and April.
However, the Senate President hopeful did not honour the invitation by the anti-graft commission and nothing had been heard since.
Onwubiko said: “We demand that the EFCC provide a straightforward response on the many corruption cases against Akpabio.
“Has EFCC granted pardon to Akpabio because Tinubu has handpicked him as Senate President even with multiple allegations of heists of public money? This is a bad precedent for the incoming government.”
A lawyer, Leo Ekpenyong, who also accused Akpabio of corruption in 2015, was later arraigned by the police for defamation.
In May 2020, Akpabio was summoned by members of the House of Representatives over the misappropriation of N40 billion.
In August 2018, he resigned as the Senate Minority Leader, after he had announced his defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In July the following year, President Muhammadu Buhari sent Akpabio’s name to the Senate as a Minister and in August 2019 handed him the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs.
In June 2022, Akpabio resigned from his ministerial position to contest in the presidential primaries of APC but stepped down on the night of the primaries for the eventual winner Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.