AKPABIO'S TRIP TO ITALY: A REAL PRAYER RETREAT OR AN ALIBI FOR EVIL MANIFESTATION?

Gerald Akpanobong, Daily Reviews Magazine, Abuja

Within the week now gone, Senator Godswill Akpabio was spotted in pictures with his wife, the noble lady Ekaette-Unoma Akpabio in Italy. The Governor in his personal social media handle notified the world of the intention of his visit to Italy which he said was to pray for the country's democracy.

Beyond doubt, such voyage should be applauded as a noble step by no less a personality than the newly christened nationalist who very recently left his former party, the PDP to fraternise with His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari on national interests. Fresh information at our disposal however reveal that there may be more to the Italy sojourn than meets the eyes - in fact, there are indications that the senator is only seeking to create an alibi, to be seen as being away while his agents execute several nefarious acts at home.

First on the roll of plots as gathered by our correspondents is that the senator has perfected plans for the arrest of the Senator elect for Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District, Dr Christopher Ekpenyong, the Senator elect for Uyo Federal Constituency, Sen. Bassey Albert, the House of Representatives member elect for Etinan Federal Constituency, Rt.Hon. Onofiok Luke and the Federal House Member elect for Abak Federal Constituency, Hon. Aniekan Umanah.

The plot reveals that the former Governor, former Senate Minority leader and soon to be former senator representing Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District at the Senate before sneaking out to Italy held a secret meeting with an AIG and a DIG at a secret location at Asokoro, Abuja, to finalise plans on how to arrest Dr Ekpenyong and others over trumped up charges bothering on false asset declaration and other false accusations. It is further revealed that the senator has personally delivered series of petitions to the Code of Conduct Bureau making allegations of false asset declarations against the identified victims of his plot as well as petitions written by his lawyers to the police against some of them.

According to our source, the plan is to stop them from attending their swearing In which is slated for June and those targeted are to be arrested at the gate of the National Assembly and dragged to the police headquarters as common criminals.

While one may be unsure of what the senator seeks to gain by this conspiracy, one can quickly recall that this "I was not there" strategy employed by the Senator in this evolving plot is not new to the people who are quickly reminded that when the presidency sought to impeach Dr Saraki with rumours to impose the now defeated Senator Akpabio on Nigerians as their Senate president the senator had demonstrated his love for this defence of alibi. In that testament, as in this Italy appearance, Senator Akpabio pleaded alibi as a response to the allegations of his involvement in the legislative coup stating that; "He was on his way to Uyo and had no hand in it".

Akwa Ibom people will not be surprised if this testament is repeated but shall they sit and watch their elected representatives arrested on the plots crafted by Senator Godswill Akpabio? Where shall he return to and who shall sing his return? These shall be answered with the passage of time.