Worried by the ongoing media attack by one Fejiro Oliver against the former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Mr Udom Emmanuel on alleged corruption, a group, Uyo Senatorial District Media Practitioners Forum, USDMPF has cautioned him against further onslaught. Oliver in a petition by his group, Network Against Corruption and Trafficking ,NACAT, to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Crimes Commission, (ICPC) which is making rounds on social media accused former Governor Emmanuel of corruption and having unaccounted N700 Billion.
NACAT asked the anti graft agencies to probe the ex-governor’s 8 year tenure.
Addressing a press conference in Uyo on Monday, the director of Strategic Communication, USDMPF, Hon Victor Etim warned NACAT against using Facebook to attack Akwa Ibom elders which Mr Emmanuel is among.
In a statement tagged, “Akwa Ibom Leaders are not Thieves,, they are Responsible and Accountable,” Etim said if truly the group petitioned the anti-graft agencies against Mr Emmanuel, it should allow them to do their work and not to resort to “campaign of calumny” and media trials saying that corruption is not fought on social media.
According to him, “It is a known fact that there are established institutions that fight corruption, Facebook and other social media platforms are not part of them. With copies of petitions seen on social media and claimed to have been submitted to the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offense Commission (ICPC) by this undertaker group, one would have expected the group to allow the anti graft agencies to do their due diligence.
Etim who emphasized that he was neither promoting corruption nor against any individual or group fighting corruption, said he took exception to destructive attempt to denigrate the person of Udom Emmanuel.
The statement partly read, “While this forum is not against any group or individual who want to fight corruption, this forum is totally against the destructive attempt by any group or individual whose mission is to rub tar on leaders of Akwa Ibom State.
“This is an insult to the collective sensibility of Akwa Ibom people that strangers will leave leaders in their own state who didn’t develop their states compared to what Mr Udom Emmanuel did in Akwa Ibom, to malign and blackmail our leaders in Akwa Ibom, yet some miscreants hail such misadventure.
” Udom Emmanuel understands that at the heart of every leadership, there is a responsibility, and in every responsibility there is accountability, he will present himself to the authorities whenever he is called upon.
“After all, the records of all his actions as governor were well kept, and are ready to be presented to any authority; be it EFCC or ICPC for verifications and confirmation.
“His tenure in office as governor marked a departure from the past being the only governor of Akwa Ibom State who religiously published the full audited accounts and annual financial statements of the state for the eight years that he held sway. Is that not transparency and accountability?
“This forum calls on all well meaning Akwa Ibom people to discountenance the ongoing media trial and malicious campaign of calumny against the immediate past Governor of Akwa Ibom State and his family as they are sponsored to dent his reputation.”
