Akwa Ibom State Governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio, has stoutly defended his Prado jeep gift to Annie, wife of music star Innocent “Tuface” Idibia, and his promised sponsorship of guests to their forthcoming wedding party in Dubai, UAE.

Akpabio, who has come under fire since announcing the gifts at the couple’s traditional marriage last week Friday, March 8, defended himself via a statement issued through the state Commissioner for Information, Mr. Aniekan Umanah. Entitled “Re: Akpabio’s Car Gift to Mrs. Annie Idibia,” the statement said:

Following spurious and false speculations in the social media concerning the wedding gift by
Governor Godswill Akpabio to Mrs. Annie Innocent Idibia, née Macaulay, I wish to state as follows:

1. That the Governor of Akwa Ibom State Chief Godswill Akpabio, donated ONE Prado jeep to Mrs. Annie Innocent Idibia, nee Macaulay a daughter of Akwa Ibom State and renowned artist during her traditional marriage at Eket.

2. That the State Governor as a token of support for the couple promised to fund the traveling
expenses (economy return tickets) for ONLY TWENTY relatives of Mrs. Annie Idibia Macaulay to Dubai, where the couple have chosen to wed.

3. That looking carefully at the surrounding events in perspective, Mrs. Annie Idibia, nee Macaulay is a daughter of Akwa Ibom State and the gift of a Prado SUV from her governor is only a gesture of love and goodwill. Her resolve to stand by her husband on his journey right from his days of youthful beginnings to stardom even in the face of challenges was commendable and a true attribute of the Akwa Ibom women.

4. That It is however unbecoming that mischief makers and enemies of progress have decided to inflame the social media with incongruous reports that the State Government is sponsoring an
entourage of party supporters to the wedding in Dubai, when in fact the Government is only sponsoring the travel expenses of twenty of her family members at an estimated cost of roughly Three Million Naira (N3,000,000.00) only.

5. I wish to therefore urge members of the public to discountenance the misrepresentations made out of a well intentioned act of the governor.

•Photo: Gov. Akpabio with Tuface at the traditional wedding ceremony . . . last Friday in Eket.