Akwa Ibom State Government has described as false, reprehensible, rumours making the rounds that Governor Udom Emmanuel was building a N6bn mansion in his hometown, Awa in Onna Local Government Area.
In a statement, the State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mr. Aniekan Umanah, said the report in a section of the media is tantamount to taking mischief to new heights of irresponsibility.
The commissioner said the truth is, the Governor’s family compound has hosted several buildings for over 60 years.
“It was in the same building that the Governor hosted friends and Nigerians from all walks of life when he held a thanksgiving shortly after his appointment as Secretary to the State Government. It was in the same compound that he hosted supporters during campaigns and also on the day of his inauguration as Governor of Akwa Ibom State . What is the noise about ? “ Umanah said.
“What these merchants of blackmail may not know is that Governor Udom Emmanuel has been a very comfortable man many years before he was called upon by the people to serve.”
He added that Governor Emmanuel has always had his buildings in Ewet housing and Awa long before his foray into politics questioning what he described as the mindless attacks on the person of the Governor over a four- bedroom house.
Umanah said those accusing the Governor of spending Six Billion Naira on a building were merely acting the script of mischief and propaganda of their pay masters, maintaining that no amount of blackmail would distract or deter the Governor from his determination to move the state forward with high flying performance especially at a time Government was seeking funds and investors to help in the developmental drive of the administration.
The Commissioner called on the public not to give in to the cheap blackmail and antics of those who peddle falsehood as a profession and seek to score cheap political points as the so called “web of corruption” and “diversion of public funds for private purposes” four months after assuming office as the Governor exists only in the imagination of the purveyors of the falsehood.
Aniekan further explained that Governor Emmanuel had been a very successful man who had risen to the pinnacle in Corporate governance and financial services where he drove profits for such organisations.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Governor Udom Emmanuel served as Executive Director of Zenith Bank Plc, Nigeria; Director, International Finance Corporation; Director, Zenith Bank UK, Gambia, Sierra Leone, Ghana amongst others. It was from this plank of solid experience, capacity, achievements and success that his people prevailed on him to exit the private sector and come to serve them as Governor, ” he said.
Umanah added and assured that as a seasoned finance expert of international repute, the Governor will not compromise on due diligence and the proper utilisation of public funds, stressing that already, the Governor had in keeping with the current national disposition, read out the riot act on zero tolerance for corruption.