Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State has cleared the air on allegations of witch-hunting a governorship candidate of the opposition party in the state.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is currently prosecuting the governorship candidate of the Young Progressives Party, Bassey Albert for alleged graft and judgment is expected a few days from now.
Reacting to speculations that he was behind the travails of Bassey Akpan, Governor Emmanuel said that he knew nothing about the corruption case in which Akpan is facing trial.
At the launching of two new Airbus-A320 Aircraft to boost the fleet of the state-owned Airline, Ibom Air, at the Victor Attah International Airport, Uyo, the governor urged those behind the allegations to face their cases and sort out themselves, emphasising that he came for governance and would focus on bringing dividends and benefits to his people.
Governor Emmanuel said he has received calls lately from friends and associates on the insinuations that he was trying to jail a governorship candidate but said that he knew nothing about the facts of the case, not a Judge and knows nothing about the facts as the case predates his assumption of office as Governor of Akwa Ibom State.
“I’m reading on the internet, some candidates of some parties are saying that the Governor want to imprison them.
“It is total lies because I’m not that type of a governor. I don’t even know the facts of the cases they have with EFCC.
“These are cases that started even before I became the governor. Let people stop blackmail and face their lives. People are just out to blackmail other people.
“I got to Abuja everybody was calling me saying this candidate say you want to imprison him.
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“This matter came even before I became the governor, I don’t know the fact of the case, I’m not a judge, I don’t know anything. These people have cases with EFCC, let them go and sort out their cases and just leave blackmail and propaganda.
“We came here to govern; we have an account, we’re servants of God; let that propaganda stop. Enough of that.
Governor Emmanuel thanked God for the progress and the management of Ibom Air for sustaining the state’s pride as a sub-national operating Nigeria’s flight of delight.
The governor described the acquisition of the new Airbuses as a timely and appropriate response to the business environment, given the anticipated demands of the coming season.
He attributed his administration’s achievements in the aviation industry and other areas of development to the support of God Almighty, coupled with his team’s capacity to think, creativity and ideas.
“Today, we are receiving into our fleet, brand new huge white birds decorated with the name Ibom Air. We respond to the business environment we are operating and as we respond we are bound to succeed.
“So today we respond to the demands of the season we’re about to enter,” he stated.
“This MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Operations) you’re seeing here can take two Boeing 747-800 series aircrafts and eight CRJs at the same time.
“But today, with the support of God Almighty, with our capacity to think, creativity and ideas, we are building MRO with naira that does not have value in the market, he added.
According to him, the MRO will serve as a cash cow for Akwa Ibom State overtime as it will start spinning hard currency earnings from January 2023, adding that Airbus is currently negotiating for lease of the facility to take care of its regional flights.
“We’re going to open up this place (MRO) by January next year for commercial activities. Akwa Ibom will be earning dollars from here from next year, not naira”, he announced.
The new airbuses were inaugurated by Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State who commended Emmanuel for his economic programmes and projects in the state.
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