The Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mr. Aniekan Umanah, has described as spurious and childish allegations raised by former gubernatorial candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Senator John Akpanudoedeghe, against the administration of Governor Godswill Akpabio, describing them as “the lamentation of a failed politician who had long lost touch with happenings in the state.”

Mr. Umanah, who was reacting to Udoedeghe’s outburst on a radio programme, noted that “the commencement of political activities towards the 2015 general elections marks the return of political blackmailers whose stock in trade is to bandy falsehood and verbal attacks against the State Government and perceived political opponents.” He described Udoedeghe’s recent tirade as “unfortunate lamentations of a sad man and a failed politician.”

The commissioner wondered why Udoedeghe, “with a sorry profile of a disgraced local government chairman, an unproductive stint at the Senate, a wasted brief sojourn at the federal executive council and a failed bid to become the governor of the state, would not face his chequered political history and leave Governor Akpabio alone.”

Mr. Umanah maintained that “after his monumental disappointing stints at several positions of authority, it is not surprising that Udoedeghe’s people have lost faith and confidence in him for wasting their time and opportunities.”

According to him, “For a man who was defeated by a wide margin of almost a million votes and serial judicial confirmations, to turn around and claim that he won the 2011 governorship election, opens a chapter in the study of senility and portrays him as a man in need of psychological examination.”

While describing the media outburst as Udoedeghe’s stock in trade, Mr. Umanah wondered why such a supposedly highly placed citizen could try to deceive the public by misrepresenting revenues accruing to the State from the federation account. He maintained that the governor had no regret for investing in numerous live-changing projects, which Udoedeghe himself acknowledged, as reported in one of the tabloids, and reiterated that the era of sharing the state’s revenue among few powerful individuals was over.

The commissioner described as careless and libelous, Udoedeghe’s frequent allusion to unconfirmed figures in his interviews, and dared the former Minister of State for the FCT to provide facts to back up his claims rather than empty media ranting.

On the empowerment of the people and development of the state, Mr. Umanah explained that Chief Akpabio has meticulously complied with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) through his various agricultural development and youth/women empowerment programsmes, education, healthcare and sanitation, among others.

The commissioner challenged Udoedehe to enlighten the populace on what he has ever done for the people throughout his years of sojourn in public offices. He also advised him to take advantage of the various media channels at his disposal to convince his few foot soldiers who are on his neck for explanations on the disappearance of billions of naira meant for the 2011 campaigns of his failed party.

Umanah went ahead to describe Udoedeghe as a merchant of gangsterism. He said Akwa Ibom people would not forget in a hurry, the mayhem he brought upon them in March 2011, relics of which he said remained in the destroyed 500 brand new taxis and tricycles, at the State Secretariat, meant to empower the people by the purposeful leadership of Chief Akpabio.

The commissioner added that it was disappointing for a supposed senior citizen to degenerate to making unfounded and wild allegations, and dragging names of members of the governor’s family into his hate chain, instead of making meaningful contributions to the development of the State he claimed to love so much.

•Photo shows Aniekan Umanah.

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