By Our Reporters
Two Nigerians have set social media on fire over accusations of alleged malfeasance leveled against ex-Akwa Ibom Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel.
Ex-Governor Udom Emmanuel’s media aide, Dr. Nduese Essien and Fejiro Oliver, the publisher of Secret Reporters News are trading hard tackles over threat to report Emmanuel, to EFCC for probe.
Emmanuel who won under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ruled from 2015 to 2023.
Trouble is said to have started when Oliver alleged that Emmanuel ‘misappropriated’ about N4 trillion collected from Federation Allocation Account Committee (FAAC) in eight years.
“For the next few days, my eyes and posts will be mostly fixated on former Gov. Udom Emmanuel for N700 billion public funds diversion.
“Udom ran the state treasury like a family company and we will give hard proofs to it.
“Who’s Abel P Ukpe who received N450M in cash in just 2017 and more till 2023 from AKSG special service department Ecobank account? He’s married to Udom’s sister!
“We all thought FEYPREP was just NGO owned by the Udom family but it was more than that.
“The eight years of Udom was a heist. 21 industries where N135 billion was sunk in but NONE ever worked past the cosmetic inauguration.
“Ibom Air though very fantastic till date, began as a scam project. Till date, it declares no profit. The records we have shows it so.
“When I say Liberation is near, it’s very near. That Senate ambition of Udom should be killed immediately. To reward him with it after the massive public family looting is a disservice to the over 10 million Akwa Ibomites worldwide.
“And yes, when Tinubu called himself a landlord to Udom without going into details during his campaign in Uyo, he knew what we didn’t know but now we know. Billions went down in Lagos, the billions that belongs to Akwa Ibom people,” among other accusations,’’ the self-acclaimed Human Rights activist claimed.
Essien blasts Oliver over the allegations
In a press release on Thursday, January 9 tagged: AS FEJIRO LAUNCHES FRESH MEDIA ATTACK AGAINST MR UDOM EMMANUEL, Essien Ndueso, the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Umo Eno on Research and Documentation, blasted Oliver for raising those accusations against his former and present principals.
Essien who was the Special Assistant on Media to Emmanuel wrote ‘‘The truth is that Mr Fejiro Oliver has just commenced the time table of his paymasters ahead of the 2027 General Elections. Why the sudden resort to media attacks and condemnation of the programmes of Governor Umo Eno and the attack on former Governor Udom Emmanuel? Reasons are not far fetched.
‘‘Having known that Fejiro is a specialist in cyber bullying and blackmail, one does not need to question his resort to the ignoble trade at the beginning of a new year. Of course, holidays are over, schools have resumed and fees have to be paid. Every worker looks up to their workplace.
‘‘So, Tega Oghenero masking as Fejiro Oliver, has gone back to his source of income – cyber bullying. For him, a Governor who has donated 10 million naira to a non indigene, built houses for the less privileged including, a non indigene in Cross River State, should be willing to part with some quid cash to quell his insatiable appetite for quick money.’’
According to him, ‘‘Having diagnosed Fejiro’s ailment (unemployment and poverty), the next thing would have been to recommend him in the Akwa Ibom State youth employment portal, but then, he will obviously not have such job offer in my State.
Amusingly, since resumption in my duty post at Government House on Wednesday, I had been inundated with calls on allegations by Fejiro that I was airborne to Abuja with ‘heavy’ cash to the the Inspector General of Police to stop him from petitioning my immediate past boss, Mr Udom Emmanuel, very laughable.
If my journeys to Abuja translate to a meeting with the nation’s police boss, it therefore means with the number of times I have been going to Abuja, then my rank in the police by now would have carried many stars, horses and eagles. But the truth is that neither have I gone to Abuja, nor contemplated doing so anytime soon. The writer is just churning out baseless rumours so that people could arrest him and save him from family responsibilities that he might have been unable to shoulder due to the poor condition of his business.’’
He observed ‘‘Choosing Mr Udom Emmanuel as his next target is as curious as it is suspicious, and begs the question, why one would need to stop any unconventional method to halt the baseless and spurious allegations against a man who wrote such interesting paragraphs of the new chapter of the book of Akwa Ibom State during his stewardship between 2015 and 2023.
‘‘In any case, does the habitual petition monger not know where the EFCC office is located? Why then the resort to the social media trial as if EFCC office is located there?
‘‘No one is stopping Fejiro from petitioning Mr Udom Emmanuel to the EFCC, however, in petitioning Mr Udom Emmanuel, Fejiro should remember to tell the EFCC that in the whole world, the former governor of the State made Akwa Ibom State the only sub-national to own a functional, viable and thriving commercial airline, Ibom Air. The EFCC will love to read that.
‘‘Perhaps the mistake Mr Udom Emmanuel made was that he kept his promise of leaving office and not making any attempt to impose himself on the government of his successor.’’ This was not true.
The EFCC knows by now that Mr Udom Emmanuel steered the development of the State remarkably between 2015 and 2023, a period that witnessed two major economic meltdowns, including a global health emergency that lasted more than a year. Yet he refused to allow room for any excuse, by giving Akwa Ibom State the most enduring infrastructure, including the highest number of roads, mostly dual carriage ways, the longest bridge ever built by a state government in the South South region, the Etebi – Enwang Road Bridge in Mbo, measuring 1.15km as well as the longest flyover, measuring 1km at Ikot Oku Ikono in Uyo.
Mr Emmanuel also constructed the longest stretch of dual carriageway of 23.4km Etinan – Eket Road with three bridges, the 29. 5km Etinan – Ndon Eyo Road with two cable bridges and equally delivered the dual carriage Uyo – Ikot Ekpene Road commissioned by the then Senate President, Ahmed Lawan.
Perhaps EFCC will also love to read that Udom Emmanuel also constructed the nearly completed 20km dualised Uyo – Etinan Road, and the dualised Eket – Ibeno road with four bridges measuring 19.5km. He went on to build interstate roads such as Ikpe Ikot Nkon – Arochukwu Road with two bridges, the Nto Edino, Obot Akara – Ekwerazu, Road with two bridges (both roads linking the State with Abia State at different flanks). There was no local government in Akwa Ibom without a major road project in that tenure and EFCC should be made to read that, with an embellishment that the first Ten Lane, 10 kilometer expressway in South South Nigeria was also constructed in Akwa Ibom during that period.
No matter how hasty Mr Fejiro is to copy the EFCC, let him remember to add that that same Mr Udom Emmanuel whom he vainly seeks to blackmail established the largest Free Trade Zone in the South South in Akwa Ibom State. Or has he forgotten that the former governor’s proactive and foresighted initiatives made Akwa Ibom State a reference point in medical tourism during the COVID-19 pandemic, with 13 fully furnished model secondary healthcare facilities (General Hospitals) and a pandemic referral centre and modular laboratory at Ituk Mbang?
Very importantly, Mr Fejiro should not forget to remember that the peace currently being enjoyed by Akwa Ibom State was instituted by Mr Udom Emmanuel who came to power when insecurity crept into some parts of the State such as Etim Ekpo and Ukanafun, while politically motivated assassinations and kidnappings which shut down several churches and schools, had since been exterminated.
Youths were availed the opportunity of two additional standard stadia in the State, the Uyo Township Stadium which came with an Olympic size swimming pool, and the Eket Stadium. During his watch the State’s soccer team won the national professional league title and two federation trophies.
The current Senior Special Assistant on Documentation to Governor Umo Eno remarked ‘‘Meanwhile, what is the offence of the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Pastor Umo Eno? Fejiro says the governor should not have appreciated the Nigerian who showed excellence in English language, is he not ashamed to say that in this modern world? Is he such an ethnic bigot to say that a girl whose prayer God answered through Governor Eno, should have been ignored because she is not from Akwa Ibom State?
This is the same man who used to write books of lamentations that the governor is not a giver. Today, he is condemning an act of kindness and patriotism from the same governor? There is more to it than meets the eye.
The reason Mr Fejiro and his co-conspirators are weeping is that they are running out of time as 2027 draws closer. Their woes? Up till now, they do not have nor know who will be decorated as the Governorship contender to challenge Pastor Umo Eno. But how is Governor Umo Eno to be blamed for that?
That is the result of the good leadership of Governor Umo Eno, collaborating with Akwa Ibom people across Party divides, supporting all and ensuring that everyone has a stake in the Akwa Ibom project.
Mr Fejiro Oliver has failed to deliver on both his mandate and that of his sponsors.”
In all, Essien neither address any of the weighty allegations levelled against his former boss nor explain how monies were spent on projects without commensurate results.
Fejiro Refires
The Journalist-cum human Rights activist responded ‘‘Udom Emmanuel N700 billion diverted funds and my reply to Dr Essien Ndueso (PhD)
‘‘Firstly, I have LANDED Nigeria this morning 5:30am on board British Airways seated in 13K from my base abroad to pursue the EFCC case with former Governor Udom Emmanuel.
I had to hurry back home so that those who feel they own Nigeria can do their worst like “arrest” as Essien Ndueso mentioned. Let me make it clear, the person that will arrest me for leading submission of petitions and petitions against Udom Emmanuel has not been born. I dare that person who believes he controls EFCC or the IGP to stop me whenever my team and I are ready to go to EFCC because we have decided to call for accountability for 8 years of UGE governance. I’m aware of plans to pick me up after submitting the petition and I await them. As written yesterday by me, the paid government singers have been mobilised to start writing against me and I welcome all of them to the field of play.
”Moving on. I do not dispute the claims of the roads done by Udom as mentioned by Ndueso. I admire them till date as I have driven along most of them. What I dispute and will continue to call for questioning is that the monies that came to the state were not judiciously used but diverted, wasted and given anyhow to family and friends and I will prove EVERYONE of them before the EFCC.
”I’m used to be called a blackmailer, a name synonymous with those who ask our oppressors for accountability, a name called those who expose corrupt practices of government officials and corporate tycoons so let the name be called.
”Essien mentioned Ibom Air as one laudable project which I admit to it as one. Today, I will take up the challenge to provide a snippet that Ibom Air is not what it was claimed it is when Udom BOUGHT those planes. Today, we will feast a little bit on it.”
If Essien Ndueso want to use me to dig into Godswill Akpabio’s government, he has FAILED cus I won’t do so any longer. My case is with Udom. If he has a case with Akpabio or anyone has with the Senate President, the person should mobilise his own Akwa Ibomites to go and petition him and see to its conclusion.
It’s not Akpabio that promised 32 industries and didn’t deliver one. It’s not Akpabio that used the name of security agencies to lie and collected N132 billion in cash for eight years. It’s not Akpabio that used his wife’s NGO to collect money in the name of donation.
It’s not the great teacher that taught Ette how to build a 21 storey Dakaada Towers that will not be useful to Akwa Ibomites and still useless till date or taught him to build Worship Centre that brings to economic value to the state and only used during end of the year Carol nigts. Akpabio governed 8 years differently and so did Udom. For me, Udom will answer for his own years!
Yes, I’m being sponsored
I’m being sponsored by the teeming Akwa Ibom youths who he deceived three months to leaving office in the name of deep sea training and gave them fake ID cards after collecting monies from state government, for a training that never worked.
I’m being sponsored by the hungry Akwa Ibomites whose houses he demolished and never paid compensation.
I’m being sponsored by the poor men and women that were promised jobs in 32 industries which monies were collected for but only did TV commissioning for it and ALL dead.
I’m being sponsored by the voiceless people of my beloved Dakaada state who want to speak out but have no information to speak with.
I’m being sponsored by the silent Akwa Ibomites who desperately want Udom Emmanuel to go to jail but are scared of witch hunt and arrest if their names are known and have no one to rescue them from Udom’s hands.
Just few lines of my displeasure about Umo Eno giving N10M to a stranger instead of doing same back home is what the state government has sent Ndueso and others to call me names since days. If it happens again, I will call out Umo Eno. For now, Umo Eno is doing no wrong in my eyes governance wise but the people at home should get access to the state money first before outsiders where the daughter is married from.
For those who want to know why I went public first before we submit the petition, it’s to let the world know and have interest that a petition is before EFCC against Udom with evidences and MUST NOT be swept under the carpet. I announced it same way against my own dear Governor Ifeanyi Okowa who’s my personal person till date and the result is clear today. So no one should tell us how to go about it. Nobody told Udom how to go about importing Mexican cow that we didn’t see or 32 industries that didn’t see the light of the day.
As a person, I have created more jobs than Udom in my personal capacity, owning a full fledged media house that were managed by Akwa Ibomites with two of them as media aides today to the current Governor, opened a fast food that employed Akwa Ibomites and was commissioned by my dear brother and friend who was Speaker of the House of Assembly then, Rt. Hon. Onofiok Luke. My investment in properties still span across the state today from Uyo metropolis to Uruan LGA. I can speak and write about whoever I want in Akwa Ibom State as a major stakeholder and none-state actor.
Today, dear Akwa Ibomites, your favorite Ibom Air that was BOUGHT will have its books opened a little bit. It’s larger story will be told our dear EFCC.
As we do this together, I’m available for more information and documents you have to collate to send via my Facebook inbox and WhatsApp DM.
Let’s together Dakaada to the spirit of greatness, the one instilled in us that took us from the state of houseboys and girls to one that has made everyone a proud Akwa Ibomites wherever we step our feet in today.
At the beginning
Recall that Fejiro who prides himself as the Oguonota 1 of Africa wrote on his Facebook page thus ‘’UGE useless ventures that gulped N132 billion and never functioned.
Though this angered some of the ex-Governor’s aides, he listed projects that were truncated after release of funds.
Among them, he mentioned ”Mexican cow (That Akwa Ibomites will now be eating cows from Mexico and not from North)
Tomato factory
Dakaada Rice
Peacock paint
St Gabriel Coconut Factory
Jubilee Syringe
Tooth pick
Car Assembly Plant
$10 million Atlanta Real Estate investment, Etc.”
Udom Emmanuel did not just waste funds but diverted a whole lot, using phony companies.
By the way, why is Globus Bank the main bank of the state now? Answers will come as EFCC progresses.’’
