I’ve no reason to bribe EFCC Chairman, says Senator Akpabio

Senator Godswill Akpabio, Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, has rubbished the report that he was detained for two hours by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) for attempting to bribe the commission’s Chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa.

In a release signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Anietie Ekong, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs argued that he has no reason to offer a bribe to the new Chairman of the EFCC.

Sahara Reporters, an online news platform, broke the story of “How EFCC detained Godswill Akpabio for two hours after attempting to bribe Agency Chairman with $350,000.”

He explained, “The Honourable Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio through a telephone call sought audience with the new Chairman of the EFCC to discuss the transfer of funds belonging to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in respect of the 3% statutory remittances from Oil and Gas Companies in the custody of the EFCC. President Muhammadu Buhari had since December 2020 approved the transfer of monies earlier paid by International Oil Companies into the CBN/EFCC account now to be transferred to the CBN/NDDC account.”

Ekong further claimed that Senator Akpabio was in the EFCC Chairman’s office to discuss the ongoing forensic audit of the NDDC with him.

“However, the discussion was inconclusive since the Minister needed to attend a security meeting with select South-South/South-East leaders and Governors in the Office of the National Security Adviser then slated for 1.30 pm of the same day.  Both Officials resolved to reconvene the same day by 5.00 pm to conclude their interactions.  The Honourable Minister returned to the office of the EFCC Chairman at about 5.45 pm and departed thereafter at about 6.20 pm after very resourceful deliberations,” he also revealed.

Niger Delta Affairs Minister’s Chief Press Secretary maintained that there was no issue of detention and that was no way Senator Akpabio could not have carried $350,000 into the office of the Chairman of the EFCC as he went there without a bag or a container.

“The EFCC Chairman Bawa gave useful and intelligent advice on the methodology of achieving success in the ongoing forensic audit of the NDDC. The Honourable Minister sought the cooperation of the EFCC to actualize recoveries of a further 3% levies due to the Commission still being owed by some Oil and Gas Companies.

“The meeting between the duo was not arranged by the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, SAN and for the umpteenth time, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs did not bribe the Honourable Attorney-General with $5 million as alleged to get Mr Effiong Akwa elevated to the position of the Interim Administrator of the NDDC. It could be recalled that the appointment of Mr Effiong Akwa was duly made by Mr President in obedience to an exparte order of the court in suit number ABJ/CS/616/2020, before the Federal High Court, Abuja which restrained named Members of the Interim Management of the NDDC from carrying out their duties until the application for an order of Mandamus was argued and disposed of,” Ekong declared.

Speaking further on the suit, he explained that the court had ordered that the headship of the NDDC should be handed over to the most Senior Director pending the conclusion of the suit and the most Senior Director at that time was Mr Effiong Akwa, who, months earlier had replaced the late Executive Director of Finance and Administration, Chief Bassey Etang, who passed on in May 2020.