By Joseph Atainyang
A human rights lawyer, Mr. Inibehe Effiong has reacted to the response
by the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio to his Facebook
post, in which he alleged that the Senator, while holding forth as the
Governor of Akwa Ibom State, had looted and squandered the state's fund
without "anything to show" and that Akpabio's loot "could fund the
budget of a neighbouring Ebonyi State for two to three decades."
This he did on his timeline on Facebook today, Sunday, June 4, about
10:00 hours persisting, "I am pleased with the decision by the man who
publicly confessed to rigging election to sue me for insisting that Akwa
Ibom funds were stolen during his regime."
The responds reads
thus in parts: "My attention has been drawn to a libellous publication
in the media credited to a Media Aide to the Senate Minority Leader and
erstwhile governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio,
threatening to sue me over my statement on Facebook on the looting of
public funds during his administration.
My simple reaction to the
threat by Akpabio is that a man who has no reputation cannot be heard
to complain about defamation of character. Akpabio should be reminded
that this is not the bloody era when he held Akwa Ibom State hostage as
his personal fiefdom.
I am particularly pleased with the decision
by the man who publicly confessed to rigging election to sue me for
insisting that Akwa Ibom funds were stolen during his regime.
I stand by
that statement and I also reiterate that the stolen funds could have
funded the budgets of Ebonyi State for the next two to three decades."
Barr Effiong who said his delight would be seeing Akpabio in the
witness box, as his only witness, boasted that even if Akpabio hires 100
Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) and 1000 other lawyers, "the truth
will prevail in the end over criminal shenanigans and falsehood", and
that the blood of innocent people maimed during his watch would keep
haunting him.
He added that he would kneel and glorify God whenever he
receives such summons and that it seemed that prayers of Akwa Ibom
people, on the day he would render accounts of his looting has been
answered.
His words, "In the event that Akpabio decides to file a
lawsuit, my 1st Defence Witness; If at all there would be anything to
defend, would be no other person but Godswill Akpabio.
I cannot wait to
have Akpabio in the witness box for him to give evidence of how the
resources of our people were stolen and looted.
This case would add credence to the African aphorism that every day is for the thief, but one day is for the owner.
Let Akpabio hire 100 Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) together with
1000 other lawyers, the truth will prevail in the end over criminal
shenanigans and falsehood. Goliath was brought down, conquered, defeated
and thoroughly disgraced by David.
Akpabio should be ashamed of
himself. The blood of innocent sons and daughters of Akwa Ibom State who
were maimed and killed under his watch will continue to haunt him.
Whenever I receive the summons from the Court, I shall go on my knees
and glorify God Almighty for hardening the heart of the Pharoah of Akwa
Ibom State in order for him to jump into the red sea.
Akwa Ibom
people have been yearning for the day that Akpabio and his cohorts would
render account of how they managed their resources from 2007 - 2015.
Finally, it seems that day is drawing near."
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