Bassey Akra, Uyo
A controversial letter seeking development funds from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is causing rumpus between a Nigerian-American citizen, Zion Umoh and the Office of the Senate President.
The letter dated November 13, 2023 and addressed to the USAID Mission Director in Abuja is requesting the sum of N700 million from USAID for educational projects and programmes in Akwa Ibom Northwest (Ikot Ekpene) Senatorial District.
A senior legislative aide to the Senate President had accused Umoh of posing as the Director of Special Duties to the Senate President to write the letter, saying it is a clear case of impersonation and fraud.
But Umoh, who had worked as the Director, Special Duties in Senator Godswill Akpabio’s Campaign Council during last year’s election, denied that he wrote the letter to USAID.
He added that the plan is to defame his character before the Senate President and members of the public.
He said, “Arch Ubokutom Nyah was the Campaign Director General for Senator Godswill Akpabio. He appointed me the Director of Special Duties and he can testify that my office had or has no letterhead.
“I did not write any letter. There is no way I would have written a letter demanding for funds without the letter passing through the Office of the DG Arch Ubokobong Nya.
“The signature on the letter is not my own. The fake letter is published on social media by a senior legislative aide to The Senate President.
“I travelled to the United Kingdom on the 15th Day of August 2023 and have not visited Nigeria till date. I don’t not understand how USAID Abuja received a letter from me on the 13th November 2023.
“I have never in my life written a letter that has to do with contract or supply and I have no registered company in Nigeria”.
Umoh disclosed that he has asked his lawyers to initiate legal action against the Office of the Senate President to clear his name.
He also urged security agencies to compel the Office of the Senate President and USAID’s mission director to produce the author of the fake letter.
When contacted on telephone, the senior legislative aide to the Senate President, Mfon Patrick insisted the letter emanated from Umoh.
“Zion Umoh worked as director special duties in Senator Akpabio’s campaign council last year. He wasn’t and hasn’t been appointed by the Senate President into any office named Special Duties.
‘It is an act of fraud for Umoh to have posed as the Director Special Duties in the Office of the Senate President to write the letter to USAID requesting for educational development funds for Ikot Ekpene senatorial district.
“We are not going to allow this matter slip because it is an attempt to tarnish the integrity of the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio”.