Akpabio’s commissioner in N100million property controversy

Mr. Utibe-Abasi Nwoko, a lawyer and younger brother of the newly sworn-in Commissioner for Justice, Uwemedimo Nwoko, is at the centre of a controversy over a building in Ewet Housing Estate, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
Mr. Eddy Udoh, a businessman from Uyo, who is a tenant in the bungalow at Plot 141 F-Line, Ewet Housing Estate, has accused Utibe-Abasi Nwoko of threat to his life after giving him (Eddy Udoh) a strange 24 hours notice to quit the property.

“He (Nwoko) is not my landlord. I have never met him before, apart from on 22 December last year, the day he knocked on my door to verbally ask me to pack out from the house that I have paid rent which is yet to expire,” Eddy Udoh said, angrily. “He told me that they have bought the property from the landlord, and I quickly responded that the proper thing would have been for the landlord to introduce him to me, if what he said was true.

“I asked him how could you buy a property without you coming here with the landlord so that he can introduce you to the tenants, and also tell you whatever agreement exists between the tenants and the landlord.”

Udoh said the young lawyer became infuriated and boasted that his brother is the commissioner for Justice, and that “even if it takes millions of naira to throw you out of here, whether dead or alive, we’ll do it,” an allegation that Nwoko has denied.

Udoh said few hours later, the same day, Nwoko returned with thugs and policemen and pulled down the Boy’s Quarters and the parameter fence in the compound, thereby exposing him and his family to danger.

“I have never threatened him. How can I do such a thing when I am a lawyer?” Nwoko said to our reporter in a telephone interview on Friday.

Nwoko said the property was purchased by Morimex Nig.fr Ltd and that he only drafted the legal agreement between the company and the former owner of the property, Prince Godwin Utuk.  He refused to answer further questions on the issue because, according to him, he didn’t have his client’s instruction to speak.

The original landlord, Prince Godwin Utuk could not be reached for his comment on the controversy, as several calls to his telephone lines have not been answered.

When asked about Udoh’s allegation that he brought thugs to pull down the Boy’s Quarters and the parameter fence, Nwoko said that that wasn’t true. But the lawyer lied. Our reporter who went on Saturday to inspect the building found out that the Boy’s Quarters and the parameter fence have been pulled down as alleged by the tenant.

It is unclear if Nwoko’s elder brother, Uwemedimo who is the new Commissioner for Justice in the state has a hand in the purchase of the property. But a property consultant in Uyo who claimed he is has knowledge of the deal, said the property was bought by a serving commissioner in Governor Godswill Akpabio’s administration. The property consultant who did not want his name mention in the story said the property was valued at more than N100million.

Udoh said he paid N900, 000 as rent for two years on the property, besides spending more than N5million to renovate the house. “The house was in such a terrible state that no person was willing to live,” said Udoh who explained that he fixed new ceilings in the entire house because the old ones had completely broken down, tiled the floor, put new burglary proofs, new kitchen cabinets, changed all the doors in the house and fixed the electrical wiring in the whole house.

“I feel sad that oppression could still be meted out to people at this time in Akwa Ibom State. More so, I am disappointed that the person who is doing this is a lawyer.” said Udoh who has already reported petitioned the police about the threat to his life.

Culled from Weekly Insight newspaper