Akwa Ibom State is one of the richest states in
Nigeria in oil and gas, and the Governor has been spending money extravagantly.
Many people call him reckless Governor sha! Well, his press secretary, Pastor
Anietie Ukpe, has released a statement giving us six reasons why Governor
Akpabio is not a reckless money spender. Read it below...
1. All the money so far spent was budgeted and did
not in any way negatively impact on the fortunes of Akwa Ibom and the people of
the state.
2. The governor promised and actually donated only
one Toyota Prado SUV to Tuface Idibia and his wife, Annie Macaulay, not two
such vehicles, as was wrongly reported. When the most respected Highlife living
legend, Dr. Victor Abimbola Olaiya, was honoured with the latest model of
Toyota Avensis saloon car by Governor Fayemi of Ekiti State to mark his 80th
birthday, did anybody complain?
See the rest after the cut...
3. The Governor promised to give twenty relatives of
the bride, Annie Macaulay, who is an Akwa Ibom daughter, return tickets to
Dubai to attend the wedding. The entire cost of these return tickets came down
to just N3 million, was that enough for such pent up fury?
4. On the donation of N6 million to the state
chapter chairmen of the Peoples Democratic Party at Port Harcourt, in the 2013
budget, there is a provision for Hospitality, Grants and Donations by the
Governor under Section 467/169. This provision is not peculiar to Akwa Ibom
State; it is an intrinsic part of all government budgets in the world. How
leaders decide on donations is not subject to legislative scrutiny or control,
just as the legislature does not control how the provision for the security
vote is spent.
5. Concerning the donation of N230 million (N10
million per state) by twenty-three PDP states for developmental projects in Mr.
President’s immediate community, the projects involved included cancer
diagnostic centre, nursery school, primary school, secondary school, skill
acquisition centre, hostel for NYSC youths posted to Bayelsa, and a deanery for
prayers. All those who are upset about this donation have the option to channel
their own donations towards the building of shrines, or even to Satan.
6. There are also issues with the Governor saying
that he “once gave a cash gift of N10m to the national Under-17 football team,
the Golden Eaglets, for beating Mali in a first leg African Under-17
Championship qualifier in Calabar last November.” Not true! Governor Akpabio
met the kids a few weeks earlier at Abuja Airport and on interaction learnt of
their financial handicap in prosecuting major competitions outside Nigeria. He
pledged N10 million support to the team and redeemed same at Calabar after the
team’s match with Mali.
~ Chief Press Secretary/Senior Special Assistant to
Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Anietie Ukpe.
Well, na them them sha! Birds of same feather
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