Efio-Ita Nyok|6 October 2016
On 4th October 2016 I did a publication titled: 'FLUMMOXED: Imoke escapes EFCC by the whiskers! Wither Obono-Obla!?' in the which I queried why a former Governor of Cross River State, Sen. Liyel Imoke, who had governed the said state between 2007 and 2015 was left out of the list of 31 ex-governors and politicians to be tried by the National Prosecution Coordination Committee (NPCC) particularly considering the fact that one Chief Okoi Obono-Obla had been in the vanguard of crusading against alleged graft attributed to Imoke.
At the end of my publication I submitted thus: 'If my memory does not fail me, I understand that Obla is the SA Prosecution to the President of Nigeria and thus a member of the NPCC; Cross Riverians therefore deserve to know why Sen. Liyel Imoke wasn't included among the 31 ex-Governors and other politicians? Or, do we have reasons to contemplate that either EFCC or the indefatigable Obla has being compromised?'
On 5th October, being today my attention was drawn with rude shock to the reaction of Chief Okoi Obono-Obla to my publication asserting that, 'The allegation that I may have been compromised is specious, spurious, false, vexatious and malicious in all material particular'. Obla's reaction came as a surprise to me especially when one considers that my intention was not malicious let alone libelous as alleged. Albeit, I think relativity in perception played a central role in what I may refer to as a misperception of the intent of the said publication.
I only requested to know why Imoke was left out of the list of 31 ex-governors and politicians, and Obla has graciously explained that, 'the former Governors whose names were listed in the Punch Newspaper publication, which elicited the reaction from him are former Governors that were investigated between 2003-2011 by the EFCC! To the best of knowledge the EFCC's investigation of the finances of Cross River State is still on-going'.
Be that as it may and considering that the now controversial publication may have been misread, I do therefore tender an unreserved apology to Chief Okoi Ofem Obono-Obla. I do regret that the said publication may have contained allegations that suggest that Obla may have been compromised.
Efio-Ita Nyok
Editor
NegroidHaven.org
