Police Arrest Lawyer Over $1.5 Million Bribery Allegation Against Governor Emmanuel

Nigerian Police Force has arrested an Abuja-based lawyer, Leo Ekpenyong, over $1.5million bribery allegations he made against the Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State.

We gathered that Ekpenyong had alleged that Governor Emmanuel gave $1.5m bribe to the state election petitions tribunal Chairman, Justice W.O. Akanbi, and some senior judicial officers, to secure justice for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the petition filed by Godswill Akpabio challenging the election of Chris Ekpenyong.

Akwa Ibom state government had given Ekpenyong seven days to substantiate the claim and publish the same in three reputable national newspapers or risk legal action.

Failing to do what was needed of him, Ekpenyong was reportedly picked up in Abuja and flown to Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, where he would be arraigned in an Uyo Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.

The states Commissioner for Justice, Uwemedimo Nwoko, said: “The police trailed him to Abuja where he was arrested and brought to Akwa Ibom to face the charges against him.”

Meanwhile, Akwa Ibom Government disclosed that the state had imported 2,000 cattle from  Brazil as part of efforts to produce sufficient meats with a view to increasing protein intake for people of the state.