Gov. Eno defends Ex-Gov. Emmanuel amid N700bn fraud allegations

Tony Okoh, Uyo

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has described as false, and spurious the rumours making the rounds that his predecessor in office, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, CON, has a case to answer over an allegation of fraud before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

He said the allegations of misappropriation of N700bn are not only false but unfounded.

Speaking during the just concluded Town Hall meeting with the people of Abak Federal Constituency at the Abak Township Stadium, Governor Eno said his successor, Udom Emmanuel, served the State meritoriously and deserves gratitude.

Mr. Udom Emmanuel had visited the EFCC headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday evening to honour an invitation and despite being allowed to leave the same day and return to his home in Lagos, a section of the media wrongly reported that he was being held by the anti-graft agency about an alleged 700billion naira fraud under his watch.

Governor Eno, dismissed the rumours, saying such figures and allegations are unknown to his government.

Governor Eno said the attitude of people trying to drag down leaders who sacrificed for the common good of the people, tends to discourage people from committing to service.

“Because at the end of the day, the people don’t show you that gratitude.

“When a man has served his state meritoriously like Deacon Udom Emmanuel did, honestly, he should be honoured, he should be respected.

“And so I don’t see a place for this kind of information that is going on. It’s not correct.

“I don’t believe it should go on. I don’t believe so. So, I don’t know where they get the figures from. I don’t know where they churn it out from, but I can tell you as a sitting Governor, that it is not correct.

“It is not true. The media trial must and should stop forthwith. And we need to dismiss this issue with a pinch of salt”, the Governor added.