Dispute Arises Between US Citizen and Akpabio’s Aide Over USAID Funding Request Letter

A letter requesting funds from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has stirred controversy between Nigerian-American citizen Zion Umoh and the Office of the Senate President of Nigeria, Senator Godswill Akpabio.The letter, dated November 13, 2023, and addressed to the USAID Mission Director in Abuja, sought the sum of N700 million for educational projects and programs in Akwa Ibom Northwest (Ikot Ekpene) senatorial district.In the letter, which was made available to the press in Uyo, a senior legislative aide to the Senate President accused Umoh of impersonating the director of special duties to the Senate President in writing the letter.However, Umoh, who previously worked as the director of special duties in Senator Godswill Akpabio’s campaign council during last year’s election, denied writing the letter to USAID. He stated that the letter was an attempt to tarnish his reputation before the Senate President and the public.Umoh clarified, “Arch Ubokutom Nyah was the Campaign Director General for Senator Godswill Akpabio. He appointed me as the Director of Special Duties, and he can confirm that my office did not have a letterhead.”“I did not write any letter. There is no way I would have written a letter demanding funds without it passing through the Office of the DG Arch Ubokobong Nya. The signature on the letter is not mine.”“The fake letter was published on social media by a senior legislative aide to The Senate President. I traveled to the United Kingdom on the 15th of August 2023 and have not visited Nigeria since then.”“I don’t understand how USAID Abuja received a letter from me on the 13th of November 2023. I have never written a letter related to contracts or supply, and I do not have a registered company in Nigeria.”Umoh further revealed that he has instructed his lawyers to take legal action against the Office of the Senate President to clear his name. He also called on security agencies to compel the Office of the Senate President and the USAID mission director to identify the author of the fake letter.In response, when contacted by phone, the senior legislative aide to the Senate President, Mfon Patrick, maintained that the letter originated from Umoh.“Zion Umoh worked as the director of special duties in Senator Akpabio’s campaign council last year. He was not appointed by the Senate President to any office named Special Duties.”“It is an act of fraud for Umoh to have posed as the Director of Special Duties in the Office of the Senate President to write the letter to USAID, requesting educational development funds for Ikot Ekpene senatorial district.”“We will not let this matter go unnoticed because it is an attempt to tarnish the integrity of the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio,” Patrick emphasized.