Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom has been fingered in the death of Ime Umana, an All Progressives Congress, APC bigwig in the state.  

Akwa Ibom Rescue Forum, an Abuja based group is responsible for linking the governor to the murder of Umana who died in an auto crash on Monday while returning to Lagos after attending a court session in Uyo.

PREMIUM TIMES reports that the group’s Coordinator, Leo Ekpenyong, said Mr. Umana would not have died but for the protracted politically-motivated court case between him (Umana) and the outgoing governor.

He said, ''On behalf of Akwa Ibom Rescue Forum, we wish to express our displeasure, anger as well as chagrin with the remote and immediate cause of the death of this politician. I must say here that the spate of political persecution in the state as far back 2007 till date is worrisome.

''It should be recalled that sometimes in 2010; Mr. Umana was reported to security operatives for alleged involvement in the planned kidnapping of Godswill Akpabio. We were surprised to learn of the effrontery of a private individual to kidnap a sitting governor in Nigeria.

''However, Mr. Umana was arrested and detained. On one of our visits to him while in detention, he told   us of the nasty and excruciating experience he went through in the hands of security operatives. He told us of how his cell was fumigated with gaseous substance that affected his respiratory system.

''Subjecting a man of that age and status in the society to the excruciating rigours of criminal trial most especially when it was politically motivated is callous to say the least''.

''Mr. Umana met his untimely death while returning to Lagos after attending the court session to answer trumped up charges Mr. Akpabio brought against him. Won’t it therefore, be appropriate to say Godswill Akpabio is responsible for his death?''.