It has been revealed that in the eight months between July 2013 and March 2014 the administration of Governor Godswill Akpabio colluded with his friends and family members to siphon a total of N47 billion belonging to the state.
Sources told us during the week that this huge sum of money was pilfered from the state under the false pretext of providing funds for a programme known as Operation Zero Potholes.We learnt from sources close to the governor that although no formal contracts were signed for the execution of these projects, the
monies were put into the Zenith Bank Account of the State Ministry of Works from where it was transferred directly to a Lebanese contractor who then instantly moved the money to a Bureau de change.
Our sources who told us that the monies were taken out in two installments of N37 billion and N12 billion respectively, further revealed that the sum of N6 billion was meant to be used for the purchase of a banking licence in Ghana through Nest Oil and the Managing Director of Diamond Bank plc. Our sources also explained that part of this money was also used to purchase ten percent shares in Julius Beger, a multinational construction firm on behalf of Governor Akpabio. The purchase was said to have been made on his behalf through Nest Oil.
At the moment, however, we understand that the former Secretary to the State Government, Mr Umana Okon Umana, who is in the know about these deals is threatening to expose the governor and his allies, which include the governor's brother, Emem who is said to be the Managing Director of a company with which Akapbio has allegedly purchased Oil Mining Licence. We are told that efforts are now on to buy Umana's silence by the governor and his cohorts.
Our sources explained that a petition is already being prepared on the matter for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFFC to probe the activities of the state government and that of Diamond Bank, which include the construction of 50 units of duplexes in Uyo.
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