Tell everyone how much you paid last governors, aides as pension - Attah attacks Akpabio

By Ehi Ekhator, Naija Center News

The Ex-governor of Akwa Ibom State, Victor Attah has attacked the executive governor to reveal to the public, how much he has paid him and other past leaders in the state as pension.

Akpabio during an interview on Channels Tv has said that the law he signed has been existing, saying the past governors and their aides have been receiving money base on the pension law, but he only reviewed and signed it into law.

He also sounded as if he was doing the state a favour when he said. “I know what I am talking about and because I wear the shoe, I know where it pinches. All the former elected governors and their deputies have been enjoying the pension. The pension was first established in 2000 and was further amended with certain provisions added in 2006.”

He added “We had a situation where bills from former deputies and their spouses worth N29 million were brought from several hospitals they claimed they went for treatment abroad.

“Because the bill did not specify whether the hospital should be in Nigeria or not, most of what I have seen in the past seven years has been bills from hospitals abroad.”

Mr. Attah who sounded very angry accused journalists of being afraid of Akpabio by avoiding the right questions. Attah challenged Akpabio to tell everyone how much he has paid him and other past leaders in the state.

He said  “I don’t like it when journalists always come to ask me about what is wrong in Akwa Ibom State instead of asking Godswill Akpabio.

“He is the one who said he has been paying so much to past governors and wanted to put ceiling on what is paid out to check wastage of public funds. Those who interviewed him should have asked him to mention just how much he has paid so far.

“They didn’t ask him such questions; they didn’t ask him to clarify on the projects he said he has been carrying out in the state.

“I don’t have anything to tell you since you do not have the guts to ask Governor Akpabio to present proofs of what he has been paying to past leaders of the state.

“You journalists should go and look at the law critically and ask him whether Obong Attah has been enjoying any of the benefits provided for in the law.

“You should also ask him whether he built a retirement home for me either in Uyo or Abuja. Ask him to tell you how much he has been paying to Obong Attah as retirement package after I left office.

“These are questions Akpabio should answer and should provide verifiable records to Akwa Ibom people and Nigerians. Journalists should stop asking me questions they should ordinarily ask Governor Godswill Akpabio. I want to enjoy my retirement in peace.”

Mr. Attah said journalists should stop using him as a shield against their inability to confront Governor Akpabio to tell them the truth about what is happening in Akwa Ibom State. (PT/CHT/NCN)

 

 

Tell everyone how much you paid last governors, aides as pension - Attah attacks Akpabio