The immediate past Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Sen. Godswill Akpabio has urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to shift the date to appear before the agency.
He said he was suffering from pneumonia and cardiac arrhythmia and would be keeping a prior medical appointment that did not factor in the sudden invitation by the Commission.
Akpabio therefore noted that he would not be available to report to the EFCC headquarters in Abuja due to the ill health, which nature was stated supra and for which he had already arranged medical appointments abroad.
The Senator-elect for Akwa-Ibom North West senatorial district made these passionate plea in a letter addressed to the EFCC by his lawyer, Umeh Kalu.
The letter was dated March 27, 2023.
Akpabio was in 2021 accused of attempting to bribe the anti-agency’s chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa, with $350,000.
The former governor of Akwa-Ibom State later described the allegation as a fabrication that was laced with malice, urging Nigerians to discountenance it.
The EFCC subsequently asked Akpabio to appear in its office on March 29, 2023.
However, the former minister, in a letter by his lawyer, urged the anti-graft agency to pick another date after the forthcoming Easter and Ramadan holidays.
Kalu stated: “We continue to act as solicitors to Senator Godswill Akpabio and write you at his instance.
“We write to convey our client’s inability to honour the scheduled visit to your office on the 29th day of March, 2022, due to ill health, and, already arranged medical appointments overseas.
“As mentioned in our last letter to you and dated February 10, 2023, our client is undergoing treatment for pneumonia and cardiac arrhythmia, and, has recently been advised to seek further attention abroad.
“It is in the light of the above that we respectfully request that our client’s appointment with you be rescheduled to a date convenient to your officers, preferably after the forthcoming Easter and Ramadan holidays.
“This request is in no way intended to disrespect your high office, even as we regret every inconvenience that our request will occasion on you and your team of operatives.
“Please accept the assurances of our professional regards while thanking you for your understanding.”
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