Akwa Ibom State Governor Special Assistant on Media, Richard Peters, has criticized the governorship candidate of the Young Progressives Congress (YPP), Bassey Akpan, over recent comments against Udom Emmanuel, on the 13 per cent oil derivation fund.
Akpan, the senator representing Akwa Ibom-North-East (Uyo) Senatorial District, had, during a ward-to-ward campaign at East Itam in Itu Local Government, said Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike’s disclosure had confirmed that Emmanuel had received N280 billion from the Federal Government without accounting for it.
The YPP governorship candidate alleged that he was offered billions of naira, to toss aside his governorship ambition and return to the Senate which he rejected.
He alleged the money were proceeds from the state government’s share of 13 per cent derivation arrears paid to Niger Delta states, adding that Emmanuel had collected the state share amounting to N600billion.
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The candidate lamented that despite the huge sum received by the governor, the state had nothing to boast for.
Peters, while addressing a news conference, described the allegations as ridiculous and defamatory.
In a titled statement: ‘Governor Emmanuel still saddling on Excellence’, he wondered why people would choose to condescend to defamation as a tool for political communication.