A former Senator from Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio, on Thursday, faulted the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission’s claim on the recovery of constituency project equipment, describing it as a mischief fuelled by political jobbers and taken too far.

The ICPC had on Wednesday led journalists and security agents to Ukana in the Essien Udim Local Government Area of the state to evacuate pieces of constituency project equipment from a private home to the Ukana Cottage Hospital, where they were originally meant for.

Akpabio, in a statement in Uyo by his Media Assistant on Publicity, Anietie Ekong, said the claim by the anti-graft agency was unfounded and baseless, and urged the public to disregard it.

The dialysis machine

“The statement read in part, “The attention of Senator Godswill Akpabio has been drawn to a sensational report circulating in the social media about a purported raid by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission of a business premises owned by Senator Akpabio over alleged diversion of generators and hospital equipment.

“The report is totally unfounded as Senator Akpabio does not own any business premises.

“The fact of the matter is that some operatives of the ICPC, led by one Mr Tiku, and the Border Community Development Agency led by one Susan, have been in communication with the contractor handling the contract for the supply of hospital equipment to the cottage hospital,  Ukana, Essien Udim Local Government Area, a project initiated by Senator Godswill Akpabio.

“On July 9, 2019, the said officials of the ICPC and Border Community Development Agency informed an aide to Senator Akpabio that they were tracking constituency projects and would be glad to be shown the projects, which Senator Akpabio had executed, a request that was received with great enthusiasm by the aide to Senator Akpabio.

“Among the projects visited by the team were a fully-built and completed skills acquisition centre in Ikot Ekpene and the recreation centre at the Federal Polytechnic, Ukana.

“They were also shown the medical equipment and generators, which were kept in a warehouse that shares fence with the hospital.”

Akpabio also claimed that the officials of the agency were impressed and praised him for the faithful execution of the projects even when the full contract sum had yet to be paid.

The agency, he said, promised to make recommendations to the appropriate agencies for the payment of the outstanding contract sum.

He claimed that the agency’s officials also visited the hospital in Ukana, where the Medical Superintendent, Dr Mary Udoh, acknowledged receipt of the medical equipment and praised him for his interventions in the hospital.

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