Why I was invited by EFCC, not arrested – Ex-Akwa Ibom governor, Udom Emmanuel | READ DETAILS
The immediate past Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel, CON, has said that he was not arrested, rather he honoured an invitation by the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
A statement issued by Emmanuel’s legal counsel, Barrister Stephen Abia, read;
“In what was purely a routine affair, the immediate past Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel, CON, honoured the invitation by the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). This, he did, seamlessly in his undaunted spirit of patriotism and sense of responsibility.
“It is worth emphasizing here that this invitation has been extended to thousands of Nigerians, both the rich and the not-so-rich, political and corporate titans. An invitation, therefore, is not a conviction. But a section of the media, egged on by Mr. Emmanuel’s traducers and political adversaries, has made the invitation seem like he was convicted. Dispassionate minds need to note the elementary distinctions between an invitation and honouring same, and an arrest which demands some legal mechanics.”
“Mr. Udom Emmanuel had since yesterday evening left the EFCC headquarters in Abuja to his home. He was not detained, it must be emphasized, as was reported yesterday by a section of the press. As a statesman, Mr. Udom Emmanuel is open to interactions within the confines of the law as one who has nothing to hide dreads no query.
Emmanuel was at the EFCC’s headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday following an alleged petition by the civil society organisation Network Against Corruption and Trafficking (NACAT).
According to Vanguard source, the petition alleged that Emmanuel received over N3 trillion from the Federation Account but left behind a debt of N500 billion and N300 billion in unpaid ongoing projects. He is also said to be unable to account for N700 billion.
Investigations reportedly revealed N31 billion withdrawn in cash from an account titled ‘Office of the Governor’ between 2019 and 2023.
