Frank Akpoebi, a close political associate of President Goodluck Jonathan, has revealed that a whopping N32billion was missing from the treasury of Bayelsa State Government when Jonathan was governor between 2005 and 2007.
He made the stunning revelation on Sunday at a press conference held at the National Headquarters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abuja where he gave reasons for his defection and of hundreds of others from the PDP in Bayelsa to the APC.
Akpoebi served as Commissioner of Health in Jonathan’s administration during his governorship. A founding member of the PDP in Bayelsa, he was also a Federal Commissioner in the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission.
He made the stunning revelation on Sunday at a press conference held at the National Headquarters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abuja where he gave reasons for his defection and of hundreds of others from the PDP in Bayelsa to the APC.
Akpoebi served as Commissioner of Health in Jonathan’s administration during his governorship. A founding member of the PDP in Bayelsa, he was also a Federal Commissioner in the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission.
He called on Bayelsans to ask Jonathan to refund the money before he can ask for their votes again.
“I served in the State Executive Council with Dr, Goodluck Jonathan and I questioned one of his series of contracts he used in siphoning the Bayelsa State treasury was his singular approval of Two Billion Naira for sand stock piling at Yenogoa for Bayelsa indigenes to park and use to start a building project I stood up to oppose it... Two Billion Naira was paid but a drop of sand was not dropped.”
He described President Jonathan as incompetent, and as the architect of religion and ethnic politics that have divided many Nigerians.
“This President is the richest President in Africa,” Akpoebi declared. “Dr. Goodluck Jonathan has invested in five business men who are highly celebrated Billionaires in Nigeria. And three of them came back to raise election funds to sponsor him to increase his investment on them while Nigerians will continue to live in poverty, deprivation and insecurity. This is a vicious circle and we must not continue with it.”
The Conference was attended by Timipreye Silva, another former governor of Bayelsa, Hilland Etah, the National Vice Chairman APC South-South, and other political stalwart in the State. He mentioned many national issues. He defected to the APC alongside hundreds of PDP Chieftains from Bayelsa State.
It would be recalled that in 2006, before President Obasanjo arbitrarily picked him for the vice-presidency, Dr. Jonathan was one of 15 governors indicted by a federal panel for false declaration of assets, and recommended for prosecution in line with the Code of Conduct Bureau Act.
The powerful inter-agency Joint Task Force on corruption was headed by the then chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Nuhu Ribadu. Its indictment of Jonathan was on account of several issues, including Jonathan’s N18million Lexus Jeep which he falsely claimed in 2004 he had acquired through savings.
“Verification reveals that the Jeep was a gift collected in contravention of the Code of Conduct Bureau Act of 1990,” the panel said. “Same for BMW 7351 Series bought in 2005 worth N5.5 million.”
The panel also listed Mr. Jonathan’s acquisition of properties outside legitimate income, including:
Seven Bedroom Duplex acquired in 2001 worth N18 million at Otuke Ogbia LGA;
Four Bedroom Duplex acquired in 2003 worth N15 million at Goodluck Jonathan Street, Yenegoa; and Five Bedroom Duplex - acquired in 2003 worth N25 million at Citec Villas, Gwarimpa II, Abuja.
Akpoedi also refuted Mr. Jonathan’s claims to being a Christian, saying that as a close friend of the President as admitted by Mr. Jonathan during one of his presidential briefings, he knows for certain Jonathan is no Christian, and that he has admitted he does not know how to forgive.
“Dr. Goodluck Jonathan I know serves voodoo. And that is what he practices. In 2006 in the dining at the Governor’s Lodge Yenegoa, he did not pray before eating, so I asked him why, he replied me that he has not prayed in his life. I was really worried hearing that from him. The following day we were discussing when Dr.Goodluck told me he has a weakness and that he does not know how to forgive.
“Dr. Goodluck should desist from using religion or the churches to advance his campaign or adoption, because it will make to expose him further,” Akpedi said. “We want a country of peace, love and security.”
Below is the full text of his speech at the Conference:
As a founding member of PDP Bayelsa State and funded 60% of the party at its formation between 1988-early 1999. I am well known and respected by politicians within the state and beyond.
The PDP under Dr.Goodluck Jonathan has totally lost Good governance. There are six things he failed in his administration that bothers on my personal integrity, ideology and the interest of our great country-Nigeria.
1 Insecurity
2 Corruption
3 Unemployment
4 Poverty
5 Power (Electricity)
6 Economy (Naira Devaluation)
Above all Dr. Goodluck Jonathan has brought politics of religion, Tribe, North/South dichotomy and hate . Infact, Dr. Goodluck started exhibiting all these vices when he was Governor of Bayelsa State. As a Deputy Governor,he has some obstacles so when he became Governor, it was a payback time . He started punishing the ijaws that brought him to power in the state. Dr. Goodluck Jonathan started playing politics of divide and rule.
He also made sure no project goes to any ijaw village and any Ijaw person is empowered in Bayelsa .This he has continued till date . I served in the State Executive Council with Dr, Goodluck Jonathan and I questioned one of his series of contracts he used in siphoning the Bayelsa State treasury was his singular approval of Two Billion Naira (2,000,000,000.00) for sand stock piling at Yenogoa for Bayelsa indigenes to park and use to start a building project I stood up to oppose it but yet Two Billion Naira was paid but a drop of sand was not dropped.
During Dr. Goodluck’s administration Thirty Billion Naira was missing in Bayelsa State Treasury. Bayelsans should ask him to refund this missing money before he should ask them of their votes. There was speculation that he used the money to sponsor himself and Late Yar’adua in 2011 election. So I called on you Dr.Goodluck Jonathan to return this Thirty Billion and two Two Billion to Bayelsa State before asking for their votes or best explain the whereabouts of these monies.
Much do I know ,that Dr. Goodluck is not a good manager of resources since he is embedded in corruption from when he was the Governor of Bayelsa State. Today our foreign reserve is depleted. Our Naira is devalued. Poverty and unemployment is a National Pride . Insecurity and Nigerian Children, mothers and fathers dying in the North-East and yet he wants the votes of North- East . Is this not insensibility and insult to the people of this zone and by extension and insult to our collective psychic as a nation? And yet he sponsors some persons in the Niger Delta Project only and no other part of this country has a right to become President until he finish to divide us, impoverish, oppress, squander our economy and plant corruption as a subject in our schools and we were corruption as toga around the world.
This President is the richest President in the Africa. Dr. Goodluck Jonatahn has invested in five business men who are highly celebrated Billionaires in Nigeria. And three of them came back to raise election funds to sponsors him to increase his investment on them while Nigerians will continue to live poverty, deprivation and insecurity, This is a vicious circle that we must not continue with it . Under his divide and rule Dr. Goodluck Jonathan has infiltrated my tribe some ijaw youths to agitate that Dr. Goodluck Jonathan is all that the Niger Delta can offer but this youths forgot that this President has not giving respect to Ijaw Leaders .
To mention but few ,Prof. Tam David West, Alabo Graham Douglas, Chief Princewell Horsefall , Chief T.K.O Okorotie, HON FynmanWilson,HRM Joshua Igbagara. e.t.c.
Dr. Goodluck Jonathan never appoint any of these Leaders to Federal Appointment nor consult them regularly for the interest of our tribe and our Nation, Nigeria , Rather the President despises them, insult some of them by singularly paying SOKU Oil We lls that I put in EXCRO account for Rivers and Bayelsa State while I was Federal Commissioner Revenue Mobilisation ,Allocation and Fiscal Commission . Now Dr. Goodluck Jonathan wants your votes so that the next four years he will make the Kalabaris non-oil producing place by forcefully collecting the remaining oil-wells and allocate them to Bayelsa and ask you to go to court that will take fifty years to resolve. The Kalabaris cannot be intimidated, induced or coerced to vote for Goodluck Jonathan by himself or his proxy.”IJAW NATION” . All the ijaws in Bayelsa State know that Dr. Goodluck Jonathan does not love us .Throughout his six years administration he did not appoint any ijaw son as a Minister. The highest appointee was Late Gen. Andrew Azazi as National Security Adviser . He was appointed by Dr.Goodluck Jonathan, sacked by him and buried by him.
Recently, we heard that Hon. Seriake Dickson was physically manhandled and beaten by the President Security detail at the Villa. Presently Governor Dickson is the Leader of Ijaw people due to the office he occupies. So can the Ijaw be so humiliated for their leader beaten up ? As a serving Governor, can this happen ? The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) and Ijaw National Council (INC) to carry out independent investigation to unravel the truth.
On Christianity , Dr. Goodluck Jonathan is not a Christian . I am a close friend of Dr.Goodluck Jonathan and he confirmed our friendship during one of his presidential briefing.
Dr.Goodluck Jonathan I know serves voodoo , And that is what he practices . In 2006 in the dining at the Governor’s Lodge Yenegoa, he did not pray before eating, so I asked him why, he replied me that he has not prayed in his life . I was really worried hearing that from him. The following day we were discussing when Dr.Goodluck told me he has a weakness and that he does not know how to forgive.
The country today is blood, blood , blood and nothing is done. Why? And no solution “ So by their fruit we shall know them” When the righteous rule, the people shall rejoice.
Dr.Goodluck should desist from using religion or the churches to advance his campaign or adoption, because it will make to expose him further. We want a country of peace, love and security.
I wish to also thank the 1st Lady who once saved my life in 2006 while I was staying in Government House Bayelsa with you. APC I am joining today will solve insecurity, corruption, unemployment, poverty, Power,and run a vibrant economy.
Thank you Gentlemen of the Press
Dr. CCHIEF FRANK AKPOEBI
(Former Commissioner for Health Bayelsa State and
Former Federal Commission Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission)
