“Look at the amount of money state governors are stealing, billions. In our time even some of our budgets were not as much but that is what some people are stealing now.” General (rtd.) Useni
I agree with Useni, 100%. Being the richest, Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State is the biggest thief. Since becoming a governor in May, 2007, Akwa Ibom State has earned over N1.5 trillion from oil allocations and
internally generated revenue. Other than a few killometer of roads, some of which he has built at N1billion per kilometer, there is nothing in the State that Akpabio can boast of as using the money to do. Now, he wants a second-term. God forbids!
The biggest complaints to anyone who visits Akwa Ibom State now is certainly going to hear from the masses is hunger. How can hunger be a big issue in a State which brings in more money per month than all the Northern States combined? And in case anyone who reads this begins to wonder where all the money goes, all one has to do is visit Akwa Ibom State.
The landscape of Uyo, for instance, has become an eye sore from uggly billboards with the dumb faces of Akpabio adorned everywhere. That is where the money goes. Every day we hear organizations splintering everywhere with “support Godswill Akpaio” slogan on everyone’s lip. That is another wasteful conduit because Akpabio will use the people’s money to fund all these groups, as long as they continue to sing his praises, a task, which those organizations are doing very well, anyway.
Another conduit for the waste is what seems like Akpabio’s constant bribe of federal officials in Abuja. He bribes federal officials to protect him from possible moves towards impeachment for his wrong coniducts. Just last week, the States’ Commissioner of Police, Mr. Walter Rugbere, was summoned to Abuja. After the meeting with his boss, sources said Rugbere was told to wait for information on his re-assignment out of Akwa Ibom State. As soon as he returned to Akwa Ibom and cried to Governor Akpabio, Akpbio flew to Abuja with bags full of money to pay-off whoever is supposed to effect the transfer of Rugbere out of Akwa Ibom State.
In case anyone wonders why Rugbere does not want to leave Akwa Ibom State; Akpabio has given Rugbere so much money that Rugbere, who came to Akwa Ibom with nothing, is now reported to own several landed properties both in Akwa Ibom and beyond. As of this writing, Walter Rugbere is probably the richest Police Commissioner in Nigeria.
In exchange, Rugbere makes sure that he protects Akpabio from any crime committed in Akwa Ibom State on and in his behalf by his supporters, mostly his personal assistants, aides, and Commissioners. If no one believes me, just ask Walter Rugbere how many kidnappers have been charged to and convicted in any court of law, since he took over as the Commissioner of Police in Akwa Ibom State. Yet, kidnapping is a crime committed daily in the State. Because the crime is committed by people who work in Akpabio’s administration, Walter Rugbere does not want to offend his sources of income by charging the culprits to court.
With so much stealing and so much laundering of the people’s money, how can anyone in his right mind wants to support such a leader? That is why I shout that governor Akpabio Must Go and Akpabio Will Go, it’s just a matter of time. And I will continue to shout until the very day he leaves, which is just months away.
Thompson Essien
The Voice of the Poor Masses
Defender of the Oppressed
Social Critic
A native of Ibibio nation of Ubium Republic extraction, now living in the safe and beautiful city of Portland, Oregon, where no AKPF, ADUMA, ADV, and Akwa Ibom State politicians can reach.