Allegations of plot to defraud cashew farmers, cheap blackmail - Lawmaker declares

The member representing Ankpa I in the Kogi State House of Assembly, Hon. Lawal Akus, has described the allegations made by the Farmers Forum of Nigeria (FFN) of him planning to extort local farmers of their hard-earned produce as pure cheap blackmail aimed at his denting his good image in the Country.

Our Kogi State Correspondent, reports that Akus, who made his position known in a statement on Sunday February 25, described the allegations as mischievous, baseless, clueless and lacks iota of truth.

The Kogi State Assembly lawmaker, while frowning at the scandalous write up published in some online media asserted that, he is not a director or shareholders of the said company ANCO Engineering and General Services limited which they allegedly claimed he is operating upon to defraud farmers of their hard earned money.

Justifying his position, Hon. Akus provided document to buttress his position that he is not a director or shareholders of ANCO Engineering and General Services limited.

Hon. Akus, averred further that he will continue to maintain the trust which his constituents have bistowed in him, adding that, the concocted lie orchestrated by enemies of Kogi State with the sole aim of destroying his good work will not stand the test of time.

His words "It is laughable to see some frivolous write lacking substance in some section of the media that I Hon. Akus Lawal is planning to extort farmers of their hard-earned produce under the guise of a contract agreement with the state government to collect produce for Kogi internal revenue.

" This a blatant lie from the pit of hell. I would have responded to this cheap blackmail but I would like to set the record straight to avoid the faceless people from misleading the general public. I am not a director or shareholders of the said company.

" So, how is it possible for me to carry out activities on behalf of them? I have contacted my lawyers and we are coming up with the best line of action to address this character assassination against me. Let it be on record that I never ordered the seizure of any truck. 

"To me, this allegations is centred at instigating my constituents against me which has already failed because my people knows that as a serving lawmaker with good track record, I won't betray them but I will keep advocating for their interest.

"Let me clear the ignorance of this behind this false publication. The consultants were engaged by the State government to drive revenue collections on grading Fees and Haulage to avoid leakages as it were in the past. I am wondering if the association have things to hide to defraud the State Government of revenues".

It could be recalled that, the national spokeperson of Farmers Forum of Nigeria (FFN) Ibrahim Adama in a statement on Saturday alleged that, the lawmaker and his associates have unlawfully seized over seventeen trucks loaded with their produce in Lokoja for four days, disregarding all pleas for reason.

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