The Senate Minority Leader and former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio, has debunked the allegation that he left a whopping N500 billion debt burden for his successor, Governor Udom Emmanuel.
The debt, according to the report, was owed Zenith Bank.
In a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media, Jackson Udom, Akpabio said the publication by one Edet Eyo Bassey, was an attempt to rubbish his laudable achievements.
The senator explained that the total loan collected by his administration, which was duly approved by the state House of Assembly was N80 billion only.
According to him, by 2015, what was left unpaid was less than N60 billion.
Akpabio said his government left behind, resources adequate enough to service the loan.
His word: “Because Edet Eyo Bassey is working from answer to question with a predetermined outcome or result in mind, he forgot to realise that that same government he is attempting to bring down at all costs, left behind revenue enablers like hospitals, hotels, airport, stadium, Ibom power plant, gas processing plant at Esit Eket, six cinema viewing centres, completed shopping mall at Tropicana, and the MRO hangar.”
He added that other laudable projects he embarked upon included the free and compulsory education scheme, the brand new state university, police secondary school and the day-old chicks hatchery at Uruan with capacity to service the entire South-South among others.
He said it was unfortunate that in the attempt to justify their pay, those doing the hatchet job had been blind to the fact that he, among other things, constructed dualised highways, flyovers, bridges with at least 37 of them commissioned before he left office.
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He said he also left behind $103 million, due to the state-Paris Club money-refunds, which are ongoing, and the verified-refund due to the state in excess of N145 billion committed to federal infrastructure.
Akpabio stated further: “The National Assembly, through recommendation of President Buhari for refunds to 22 states and Akwa Ibom State included approved refund through bonds of sums due to states with Akwa Ibom benefitting N78 billion.
“It might interest Bassey and his ilks to know that Akwa Ibom owed only the United Bank for Africa (UBA), under Akpabio as stated above.
“The question then is: Why misinform the public that the Akpabio-led administration owed Zenith Bank N500 billion or any bank? Why also the lie that Akpabio raked in N3 trillion in the wee hours of his government, if it is not an attempt (which has failed) to rubbish the good works of his administration for cheap political mileage?
“It is on record that in the eight years of the Akpabio administration, he received less than N1.7 trillion and we would request that if truly you are not working from answer to question, you should diligently check the monthly publications of the Ministry of Finance and correct your damage so that God will have mercy on you.”
