I Never Turned Govt House Into $ex Haven—Akpabio

The immediate past governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio, has reacted to a report by Punch on Saturday that during his tenure, the Government House in Uyo, was used a ‘slaughter slab’ for girls.

Akpabio, who is now a Senator, made this known in a statement issued by his media aide, Anietie Ekong.

The lawmaker urged Nigerians not to take the report by the newspaper serious, describing it as blackmail because “it is neither based on facts, nor meets basic journalistic standards and ethics.” Akpabio further described the report as “baseless” and a “cowardly propaganda piece.”

“It is simply a compilation of wicked rumours and dark gossip manufactured by bitter elements who lost out in the political arena,” the former governor said.

The statement explained that “when Governor Akpabio took office in 2007, the Government Lodge was in a dilapidated condition unfit for lodging high profile visitors of the government.

“As part of his proven Uncommon Transformation Vision for Akwa Ibom State, Akpabio oversaw the design and construction of a world-class Government Lodge befitting of the status of visitors of the State Government.

“For the avoidance of doubt, we wish to state categorically that there is no truth in these allegations. The Akwa Ibom Government Lodge has always been run professionally and, at no time, was the facility turned into a brothel as alluded to in this faceless story which referenced imagined ‘anonymous’ sources.”

It was further disclosed that the report is the “sponsored work of desperate and disgruntled political elements, who have been part of the current media lynching of leaders of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), like Senator Akpabio, who selflessly delivered the dividend of democracy to their people. It is designed to mislead the public by tarnishing the stellar image of the celebrated immediate past Governor of Akwa Ibom.”

“These elements have unfortunately found willing partners-in-destruction in sections of the media,” the statement noted.

It was alleged that Akpabio is “being attacked by these enemies of progress because he gave his all in ensuring that his vision and the dreams of Akwa Ibom citizens of a new and glorious Akwa Ibom was delivered during his 8-year tenure for which he has received numerable awards at home and abroad for good governance.”

“We wish, therefore, to re-affirm that at no time did Governor Godswill Akpabio abuse the mandate given to him by the good people of Akwa Ibom and at no time, during his tenure was the Government Lodge – or any other government property, for that matter, converted to ungodly use,” the statement said.