Former Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State, who is a current Nigerian senator, today faced serious embarrassment at Mandarin Oriental Hotel, a luxury five-star hotel in the Knightsbridge area of London. Mr. Akpabio’s credit card was declined as the ex-governor tried to check in.
Mr. Akpabio had been in London to receive medical treatment after his car bullet proof G-Wagon Mercedes Benz collided with an American Embassy diplomatic vehicle in Abuja. The accident had occurred after Mr. Akpabio’s driver reportedly failed to stop at a traffic light.
At the reception of Mandarin Hotel, a flustered Senator Akpabio, who wore a blue sports jacket, was visibly embarrassed on being told that his credit card had been denied. Two unidentified persons were with the former governor at the reception desk as he looked worried and flummoxed about the credit card predicament.
In the thick of the fiasco, the former governor was heard barking orders at an official at Eco Bank in Lagos. He persistently asked why his card was not working.
Mr. Akpabio remained at the reception for a while, apparently at the insistence of the hotel’s management, who later checked him in.
Mr. Akpabio, who as governor claimed that he had built a multi-million dollar “world class” hospital in Uyo, the capital of Akwa Ibom, chose to be flown to the UK for treatment after his accident.
When SaharaReporters reached the former governor, he admitted that his card was declined because he had used the card to check out of the Four Seasons luxury hotel earlier today. Akpabio stated that his credit card had maxed out of its daily spending limit.
Akpabio also told SaharaReporters when asked why he didn’t check into the “World Class” clinic he built in his home state for treatment, he denied accusations that he had neglected to equip the so-called top-tier hospital in Akwa Ibom. The former governor claimed he had not rented equipment that were shown to the media during the official unveiling of the hospital, adding that the delay in opening the hospital was due to Immigration processing relating to the doctors to be brought to work at the hospital .
Mr. Akpabio has emerged as the leader of the Peoples Democratic Party in the National Assembly.
Source Saharareporters
