Crisis brews in Govt House Uyo: Dep Gov, Akpabio’s wife locked in cold war over funds If the assertion of the wife of the governor, Mrs. Ekaette Unoma Akpabio that she does not have the kind of patience her husband has is anything to go by, it means she may soon explode following alleged complains by the Deputy Governor, Lady Valerie Maurice Ebe that she has taken over the powers of the deputy governor ‘s office. Ebe, The Radar learnt made the allegations when she hosted at the lodge some ward chairmen from Mkpat Enin Local Government Area who the paper gathered she allegedly coerced to append their signatures in a communiqué which was published in the edition of Tuesday, 31st December, 2013 to Monday, 6th December, 2014 of page 10 of The Ink Newspaper in support of her performance, against the publication of Mkpat Enin Youths Assembly (MEYA) which seemingly passed a vote of no confidence on her. Our two weeks investigations have revealed that Ebe at the meeting had allegedly threatened the six ward chairmen namely: Elder Usoro Benedict, Ikpa Ibom 3; Mr. Ikanke, Ukpum Minya 1; Chief Cardinal Essien, Ukpum Minya 2; Mr. Equere Udo-inyang, Ukpum Minya 3; Mr. Monday Isong, Ibiaku 1; and Mr. Unyime Clement, Ibiaku 2, that if they refuse to sign the document, she will personally request the state leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to remove them from office for alleged anti-party activities during the March 2014 Congresses of the party. Our findings also showed that she later induced the 14 ward chairmen with N100, 000 each after spending N60, 000 on the aggrieved six ward chairmen who had much earlier at Mkpat Enin refused to sign the document. The number two citizen of the state in her frantic efforts to make them sign the document, we learnt, promised each of the 14 Mkpat Enin Ward Chairmen a brand new car. The Radar gathered that Ebe while explaining the reasons of her inability to empower Mkpat Enin people as earlier alleged by the umbrella organization of youths from the area (MEYA) who had called for her sack, allegedly said that it was caused by the fact that allocations meant for her office as deputy governor is usually collected by the wife of the state governor, Mrs. Unoma Akpabio, thereby rendering her financially incapacitated. Ebe, we learnt, had taken time to narrate to them at the meeting, how embarrassing it is for her as deputy governor to always apply for approval of funds from the state’s first lady before carrying out any assignment. Sources at the meeting who pleaded strictest anonymity, hinted that Ebe further confided in them that she was not in talking terms with Mrs. Akpabio for sometimes now and this has led to her (first lady) starving her (deputy governor’s) office of funds. Our sources who were part of the meeting also disclosed that Ebe lamented her position as the Deputy Governor, noting that she said; “the worst position in government is for someone to deputise anybody whose wife is in control.” Ebe, it was gathered allegedly informed her guests that the governor has bugged her telephone lines and had placed her on security watch list which has made it impossible for her to call or convene meetings of Mkpat Enin people let alone provide empowerment for them. Explaining further she was said to have told the people that the governor was suspecting that she may be nursing governorship ambition in 2015 or gang up with those against his succession plan, thus the close watch on all her activities. This paper has made several efforts to get either the deputy governor or her media managers or the first lady to react to these issues before press time but all proved abortive. Culled from Radar
Posted on: Tue, 21 Jan 2014 19:51:10 +0000
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