Senator Godswill Akpabio has dismissed a report linking him to the alleged bribery of some Supreme Court Justices, describing the publication as false and an attempt by political opponents to damage his reputation.
Akpabio, who was then the Senate Minority Leader and represented Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial District, made his position known through a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media, Anietie Ekong.
The statement followed the circulation of a social media report concerning the arrest of some serving and former judicial officers over allegations of corruption.
According to Ekong, the report, which was also circulated by the Akwa Ibom State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), sought to link Akpabio to the development.
The statement described the publication as “spurious, baseless” and a product of what it called political mischief.
“For the avoidance of doubt, we wish to state most emphatically that Senator Akpabio is in no way involved in the alleged bribery of Supreme Court judges and so has no reason whatsoever to be scared over the arrest of the judges,” the statement said.
It further stated that Akpabio had not contacted any Supreme Court Justice with the intention of offering a bribe.
The statement explained that one of Akpabio’s recent official contacts with members of the Supreme Court took place on December 13, 2015, when he participated in a courtesy visit by members of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters to the Chief Justice of Nigeria and other Justices of the Supreme Court.
Akpabio was then serving as Vice Chairman of the Senate committee, while Senator David Umaru was its chairman.
According to the statement, the visit was an official engagement involving members of the committee and the judiciary, after which members of the committee and the Justices took group photographs.
The former Akwa Ibom governor also denied any involvement in attempts to influence judicial proceedings, saying he believed in the integrity of the electoral process.
His media aide maintained that Akpabio’s election to the Senate was widely regarded by his supporters as a reflection of his political standing following his tenure as governor of Akwa Ibom State.
The statement further explained that Akpabio, like many Nigerians, learnt about the reported arrests of the judicial officers on Saturday while he was in Irrua, Edo State.
He was said to have been there alongside the Senate President and other senators to attend the wedding of the daughter of their colleague, Senator Clifford Ordia.
The statement consequently rejected suggestions that Akpabio was apprehensive over the development, arguing that he was attending a social event in Edo State when the news emerged.
Akpabio’s camp also criticised the Akwa Ibom State APC for allegedly attempting to connect him to the judicial controversy without evidence.
It urged political actors to allow investigations into the allegations to take their course rather than drawing conclusions before the process was completed.
The statement also expressed concern over what it described as the treatment of Justice Inyang Okoro, an Akwa Ibom indigene, amid the controversy surrounding the judicial investigations.
Akpabio warned political actors against actions capable of undermining public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic institutions.
He also indicated that he would consider available legal options to protect his reputation against what his camp described as politically motivated allegations.
The controversy comes at a time when allegations surrounding the judiciary and the conduct of some judicial officers are attracting considerable attention across the country.
Akpabio’s position is that he has no connection to the alleged bribery allegations, while investigations into the broader judicial controversy are expected to establish the facts surrounding the matter.
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