Senator Akpabio
Some human right lawyers have said the allegation that the former Senate Minority Leader and Senator, representing Akwa Ibom North West, Godswill Akpabio, is untrue.
They said it was mischief and a campaign of calumny by political opponents of the Senator to claim the politician defected to the ruling party, APC, in order to escape probe by the anti-graft agency, saying nothing could be further from the truth.
The lawyers led by Barrister Leo Ekpenyong during a press conference in Abuja revealed that their law firm was briefed by clients who made allegations about N100 billion alleged graft in Akwa Ibom State for which petitions were sent to EFCC.
“The law firm deemed it necessary in the interest of justice to withdraw the petitions when in the course of our interactions with the EFCC, we called the attention of the sponsors and instigators of the petitions to substantiate their allegations and they were not able to substantiate same.
The law says he who asserts must prove. “We felt that as a law firm, we owed the country a duty to propagate and also seek the truth and defend same when the need arises.
It was on that note that the firm has discovered that the petitions were fuelled and instigated by disgruntled politicians in Akwa Ibom State decided to withdraw the petitions, and EFCC may have established same. So as it is, Senator Akpabio does not have any case with the EFCC,” he said.
A statement sent from the WhatsApp page of Mr. Anietie Ekong, Special Assistant, Media, to Senator Akpabio said allegations have since trailed his principal, Senator Akpabio following his defection to the APC.