N450 MILLION #DASUKIGATE : "YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN" - AKPABIO TELLS IDONGESIT NKANGA.

N450 million #Dasukigate : "You are on your own"- Akpabio tells Idongesit Nkanga

By Essien Inyang | Uyo

The arrest and debriefing of Governor Udom Emmanuel's campaign Director General and former military administrator of Akwa Ibom State Otuekong Idongesit Nkanga by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over allegations of collection of N450 million campaigns funds for the 2015 general elections has sparked controversies within the hierarchy of the PDP in the State.

Nkanga who was arrested a fortnight ago in Port Harcourt, Rivers State and detained overnight by the anti-graft agency has been shunned by leaders of the Party in Akwa Ibom State, including the Senate Minority leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio, and Governor Udom Emmanuel.

In a meeting after Nkanga's release convened by Senator Godswill Akpabio, it was gathered that Akpabio had told Nkanga to bear his cross alone.

During the said meeting, our source said Akpabio had asked Nkanga the whereabouts of the said N450 million campaigns fund but Nkanga could not account for it.

Our reporter gathered on good authority that Idongesit Nkanga during the campaigns had declared only N120 million as the campaign sum allocated to the State by the presidency withholding the balance of N330 million.

Our source who was privy to the meeting said Akpabio was startled by the revelation that Nkanga tricked them to believe that the national executive of the party through the presidency gave only N120 million as campaign funds to Akwa Ibom State.

The source said when Nkanga could not defend himself before attendees at the meeting, the convener Senator Godswill Akpabio walked out and told him, 'you are on your own'.

The source added that after the meeting, Nkanga has been shunned by his political associates in the State.

However, sources at the EFCC have confided to our reporter that Otuekong Idongesit Nkanga had admitted collecting the said amount and was given time to refund it or risks prosecution.

Though Nkanga had denied collecting the money in public, claiming that his signature was forged, one of our sources at the anti-graft agency said he was released on his promise to refund the money.

Nkanga, our investigation revealed has approached the governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel to assist him raise the said amount for onward refund to the federal government but the governor did not oblige as a result of paucity of funds in the .

The former administrator has been meeting and soliciting for funds from his old friends.

However, indications appeared that after several appeals to Governor Udom Emmanuel, the State government might consider a refund of N120 million to Nkanga, the amount he declared to have collected from the presidency on behalf of the PDP in the State.

Meanwhile, after his release, Idongesit Nkanga has avoided public events including activities marking the first anniversary of Governor Udom Emmanuel.



Isaac Nobenz