N700bn Fraud: Governor Umo Eno to defect to APC to shield godfather Udom Emmanuel from EFCC probe

Uyo – Akwa Ibom Governor Umo Eno is reportedly planning to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), according to reliable sources within his administration.

The move, West Africa Weekly reports, aims to shield his predecessor, Udom Emmanuel, from potential prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Eno has allegedly consulted PDP stakeholders on his decision to switch parties.

Eno’s planned defection, slated for May 13, is a strategic political move to protect his predecessor, who is under investigation by the EFCC over embezzlement of over ₦700 billion in state funds during his tenure as governor.

“The case is so bad that Udom cannot escape. So, without an election, the APC has claimed Akwa Ibom because of the sin of one. It’s so sad that the years of locusts perpetrated by Udom is making his stooge take this decision,” the source speaking with West Africa Weekly said.

It will be recalled that the EFCC arrested Emmanuel following a petition by the civil society organisation Network Against Corruption and Trafficking (NACAT), which accused the ex-governor of money laundering, diversion of public funds, and misappropriation of state resources.

According to the petition, Udom received N3 trillion from the Federation Account over eight years but left behind a debt profile of N500 billion with unpaid ongoing projects worth N300 billion and cannot account for N700 billion.

They also revealed that N31 billion was withdrawn in cash from an account titled “Office of the Governor” between 2019 and 2023.

Despite the substantial sums involved, Eno’s administration has not officially stated that it is investigating Emmanuel’s tenure.

More Allegations

However, Fejiro Oliver of the Efforts Against Corruption and Trafficking, a leading organisation behind the revelation of Udom’s corruption case, said the EFCC had been compromised as the former governor reportedly bribed the commission to have his case swept under the carpet.

“We are planning a press briefing not because the governor is trying to protect his benefactor and godfather but because the EFCC has compromised the case. We have it in good authority from good sources that Emmanuel Udom claims to have paid N5 billion to the commission to drop the case. Alongside that, the current governor is switching to the APC so that the case can be swept off the commission,” he told West Africa Weekly in a phone call.

“This is not just an allegation; we have documents and transaction records of money moving from one account to another of the former governor moving money from government coffers. We asked the commission to take us to court and investigate the case, and they investigated and saw merit,” he added.

He lamented the rot within the institution saddled with the responsibility to fight corruption and demanded that the EFCC Chairman, Olanipekun Olukoyede, steps down for a neutral person.

“There are other factors to this issue: the people who are meant to fight corruption have been bought with N5 billion. We demand that the commission chairman step down from his position and that someone neutral head the place. Also, the APC should not allow Eno to join their party and use it as a cover for a corruption worth N700 billion.

“It is not just about the Udom case but that of Okowa of Delta State and the N1.3 trillion corruption. Since October last year, nothing has been heard about the case again. The governor has also bribed the commission. These are two important cases that are fundamental in the South-south region,” he said.

Government’s Response

Efforts to reach the government through the Chief Press Secretary, Ekerete Udo and the Commissioner of Information, Aniekan Umana, proved abortive as they did not respond to calls.

We will keep updating as the story develops.

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Kangmwa Gofwen

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