Angry Akwa Ibom Youths Rejects Sen. Akpabio’s Stolen Medical Equipment… Tell him to face his troubles with the ICPC

It was indeed a bad day for former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio as his attempt to launder his seemingly battered image suffered a huge embarrassment across the State yesterday.

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Akpabio had made elaborate plans to donate some medical equipment part of which were recovered over a week ago by the agents of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) from a company allegedly owned by him to hospitals across the State.

LIST OF APPLICATIONS FOR REGULARISATION OF AREA COUNCIL LAND DOCUMENTS NULLIFIED/CANCELLED BY THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF FCT

But his Greek gifts were roundly rejected by the youths across the State.

LIST OF APPLICATIONS FOR REGULARISATION OF AREA COUNCIL LAND DOCUMENTS NULLIFIED/CANCELLED BY THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF FCT

Recalled that the ICPC currently on a nationwide campaign to recover public assets diverted for personal use, had on a tip-off, stormed a private firm, Semek factory in Ukana, Essien Udim allegedly owned by Senator Akpabio, but managed by his immediate younger brother, Nsentip Akpabio.

The agency operatives recovered one unit of dialysis machine and a generating set meant to have been supplied at the Government Cottage Hospital in Ukana, Essien Udim since March 2018 as part of Senator Akpabio’s constituency project.

The ICPC revealed that three dialysis machines were purchased for delivery to the hospital as contained in available records, but expressed surprise that instead of delivering the equipment to the beneficiary, it was diverted to a factory premises where only one unit of dialysis machine was however recovered.

Embarrassed by the incident, Akpabio was said to have confided in some of his close friends that he would donate the remaining stolen equipment to hospitals across the State as a way to seek forgiveness from the people whom he agreed to have cheated by diverting the equipment meant for his people.

Yesterday, the youths turned out in thousands across the State and told Akpabio to go and face his troubles with the ICPC and not “try to fool us with his tricks.”

“How come he is trying to donate these equipment now? Why did he divert them for personal use in the first instance? I think he is clever by half by thinking that he can play a fast one on us.

“These medical equipment were meant for his constituency, yet he diverted them for personal use. Having been investigated by the ICPC and the equipment eventually recovered by the ICPC agents, he now wants to donate the equipment. Why did he not donate them initially?

“We are telling him loudly to stop taking our people for granted,” a youth leader, Sylvester T. Akpan stated.