JUST IN: Senate denies asking EFCC to probe Akpabio
The Senate on Wednesday has denied directing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate the Minister of the Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio.
The Senate was said to have purportedly directed the EFCC through a letter to probe Akpabio over financial improprieties at the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, had earlier disowned the said letter.
Also on Wednesday, the Clerk to the Senate, Mr. Nelson Ayewoh, in a statement in Abuja, dissociated the upper chamber from the purportedly “forged letter.”
He advised the public to disregard the said letter.
The statement reads: “My attention has been drawn to a forged letter dated 7th May, 2020, purported to emanate from my office, addressed to the Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
“The letter fraudulently indicates that His Excellency, the Deputy President of the Senate had directed the Clerk of the Senate to petition the Hon. Minister of Niger Delta Affairs and one Mr. Scott Ikott Tommey on allegations bordering on alleged corruption at the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
“The Office of the Deputy President of the Senate, has already responded to the false publication and fraudulent petition.
“I completely agree with the submission of the Deputy President of the Senate that the publication is ‘false, fake, malicious, mischievous and vexatious.’
“In addition, the general public and all concerned are hereby invited to note as follows:-
“That at no time did the Deputy Senate President, His Excellency, Senator Augustine Ovie Omo-Agege, request me to forward any petition to any Agency of government;
“That at no time did the Office of the Clerk, Senate issue or caused to be issued, a petition seeking the monitoring and investigation of the Hon. Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, His Excellency, Senator Godswill Akpabio or any person for that matter;
“That the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has channels for addressing public petitions.
“In this instant case, no petition on the subject matter is before the Senate and therefore, no Resolution could have been taken in this regard;
“That the letterhead used by the mischief maker(s) is different from the one in use in my Office as the reference number NASS/CS/99/R/21/19 on the forged letter is not an aspect of our filing index; and the style, syntax and word fonts employed by the mischief maker(s) in their correspondence varies from our in-house standard.
“Accordingly, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as well as the general public are hereby advised to disregard this discredited petition.
“In addition, Security Agencies are enjoined to investigate the source of this forgery.”