The downfall of APC begins in Akwa Ibom State, as a Federal House of Representatives flag bearer for Ikono/Ini federal constituency, Edidiong Idiong, has tactically withdrawn from the race to represent his people in the green chambers.
The reason for his decision is not far from the Abuja federal high court seizure of his international passport and other valuable credentials including subsequent pending cases with the EFCC. He is standing trial for 11 count charges relating to fraudulent transactions linking to money laundering and other crime related offences amounting to two (2) billion naira (N2,000,000,000). It’s worthy of note that the son of the former Chief Judge of Akwa Ibom State, Justice Effiong Udo Idiong, was re-arraigned before an Abuja Federal High Court over alleged diversion of weapons purchase funds and linked with Col Dasuki who is currently cooling in prison custody over last 3yrs.
The Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) alleged that the APC candidate had received the sum of N2 billion from contracts allegedly awarded by the former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki in different tranches.
According to records, Mr Edidiong Idiong was initially arraigned in November, 2016 along with former aide to Dasuki, Col. Nicholas Arinze and Austrian, Wolfgang Reinl, General Manager of Geonel Integrated Services Ltd, and four other companies.
The case which was adjourned by Justice Babatunde Quadri of the Federal High Court, Abuja, will be heard February 20, 2019.
Another reason for his sudden withdrawal may be his law degree forgery saga which generated so much tension after he failed to fill it in the Inec form. The shame and embarrassment he has subjected the APC and his family to is one of the reason he abstains from the party’s activities which has also affected his not attending his own campaigns.
