Edet Akpan Gate: Group Petitions ICPC over Delay in the Investigation of Forgery, Criminal Falsification Against Perm-Sec

The Coalition of Civil Society Groups for Justice has petitioned the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) over the undue delay in concluding and putting up to the concerned public, especially the media and Civil Society, the result of the investigation into the case of forgery and criminal falsification of Civil Service information against Mr. EDET SUNDAY AKPAN, Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel.

Speaking while leading a protest to the ICPC Friday, convener of the group Comrade KAbiru Dallah noted that the group is aware that Mr. Akpan parades questionable academic credentials and falsified his age of birth, while his Primary and Secondary School certificates are said to be missing from his records.

The group further called on the Commission to resolve the matter which is of interest to the public because it will lead to flushing other offenders out of the system, and bringing them to justice.

Below is the full text of the petition submitted to the ICPC

The Chairman

Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC)

Plot 802, Constitution Avenue

Central Business District

Abuja.

Dear Sir,

A LETTER OF PROTEST OVER THE UNDUE DELAY IN CONCLUDING AND PUBLICIZING THE RESULT OF THE INVESTIGATION INTO THE CASE OF FORGERY AND CRIMINAL CIVIL SERVICE INFORMATION FALSIFICATION AGAINST MR. EDET SUNDAY AKPAN OF THE FEDERAL MINISTRY OF MINES AND STEEL.

We, in the Coalition of Civil Society Groups for Justice write to vehemently protest the undue delay in concluding and putting up to the concerned public, especially the media and Civil Society, the result of your investigation into the case of forgery and criminal falsification of Civil Service information against Mr. EDET SUNDAY AKPAN, Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel.

2. We are aware that this matter was brought before your commission since February 5, 2020. It is our firm belief that this kind of matters can be concluded in few weeks, since the issue there in are quite straightforward. It is important to deal with such a matter speedily in order not to erode the confidence of younger Patriot Civil Servants whose spaces are occupied by people that lied to remain in Civil Service above the time allowed by law and Civil Service Rules.
3. May we further remind you of some of the details of the case. Mr. Akpan parades questionable academic credentials and falsified his age of birth. His Primary and Secondary School certificates are said to be missing from his records. This appears to be for an obvious reasons of their non-existence or to hide a falsified date of birth. A group of Concerned Civil Servants brought the matter before you in February this year.
4. The said Mr. Akpan joined the civil service in Akwa-Ibom State where record is said to show that his original Date of Birth is 1958. He transferred his service to Federal Government in 1999 with the same record of Date of Birth. However, in his IPPIS, he entered his Date of Birth as 1962. This is a deliberate criminal falsification to help him overstay in service.
5. For the avoidance of doubt, without certificates to authenticate, Mr. Akpan is said to claim that he started his Education at Qua Iboe Science Secondary School (Etinan Institute) in 1965. Two (2) related facts stand out. One, if Mr. Akpan was born in 1958, he ought to have retired 2 years ago. Two, if he was born in 1962, it was practically impossible that he started Primary (or even in some arguments, Secondary Education) in 1965.
6. The facts which the public is interested in your commission resolving are: when exactly was Mr Akpan born? When and where did he start school? What are the facts to authenticate his early school claims? And does his alleged Date of Birth and date of enrollment into primary school agree? That is, if it is true that he started primary school in 1965, could that be possible for someone born in 1962? And what is the authenticity of his other claims?
7. It should also worry all of us, including the ICPC that Mr. AKPAN is said to be protected by a powerful man in the political system as alleged. He too makes boast of this.
8. Consequently, we urge you to resolve this matter which is of interest to the public because it will lead to flushing other offenders out of the system, and bringing them to justice. We have to rid the system of these kinds of Viruses as we as a Country are also kicking CoronaVirus out of Nigeria.

We look forward to your speedy action!

Comrade Ibrahim Kabiru Dallah

Convener