Akwa Ibom Government, Assembly Deny Claims Deputy Governor Sponsored Adultery Bill
The Akwa Ibom State Government has denied reports claiming that Deputy Governor Senator Akon Eyakenyi sponsored an adultery bill before the State House of Assembly, describing the allegation as false and misleading.
The reports had alleged that the Assembly passed a bill criminalising sexual relationships with married men and that it was sponsored by the Deputy Governor.
Reacting in a statement, the Commissioner for Information, Rt. Hon. Aniekan Umanah, said: “This claim is entirely false, misleading, and without any factual basis.” He clarified that Senator Eyakenyi neither sponsored the bill nor had any knowledge of it.
Umanah explained that the Deputy Governor, as a member of the State Executive Council, does not have the constitutional authority to independently sponsor legislation. “Any executive bill must first be considered and approved by the Executive Council before being transmitted to the legislature,” he stated.
He added that the alleged bill did not originate from any official executive or legislative source and urged the public to disregard the report. While restating the government’s opposition to immoral conduct, Umanah warned those spreading false information to “desist from linking the Deputy Governor to baseless and unverifiable claims,” and advised residents to rely on official government channels for accurate information.
The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly also dismissed the claim, describing it as a fabricated Facebook post attributed to Obiavel Albert Abigo. In a separate statement, the Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Hon. Jerry Anson Otu, said: “The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly wishes to categorically state that this report is entirely false and has no basis in fact. The Assembly has not received or considered any such bill, and the Deputy Governor has not sponsored it.”
Otu condemned attempts to tarnish the image of the Deputy Governor and the Assembly, urging the public to ignore the report. He reaffirmed the Assembly’s commitment to its constitutional responsibilities, stressing that it “would not be distracted by mischievous attempts to undermine its integrity.”
