The immediate past Governor of Akwa Ibom State and Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio, monday escaped death when he was involved in a ghastly car crash on his way to Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja to join an international flight.
THISDAY learnt that his car ran into a convoy conveying a foreign
envoy whose identity has not been determined at the time of filing this
report.
He was however discharged at about 6 pm yesterday after he was treated for shock in a private ward of the hospital.
It was gathered that the former governor was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident.
It was learnt that the accident occurred when one of the drivers
opted to beat the traffic light. However, it was not clear yesterday
whether it was Akpabio’s driver or the driver of the ambassador’s pilot
car that beat the traffic light which resulted in the accident.
A Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) official, who did not want to
be named, told journalists that whereas occupants of the ambassador’s
vehicles and Akpabio’s driver did not sustain any injury, the senator
suffered a degree of injuries in the chest region.
The FRSC personnel, who was at the scene of the accident which
occurred at about 7:25am near Bolingo Hotel, along the Abuja Airport
Road in the Central Business District, said Akpabio was immediately
rushed to the National Hospital for intensive care.
One of the senator’s aides, who was at the National Hospital, said
Akpabio was on his way out of the country to visit his wife and children
when the crash occurred.
The Deputy Minority Whip, Senator Biodun Olujimi, who was one of the
early callers at the hospital, told journalists that medical personnel
at the hospital had informed her that the Akwa Ibom North-west senator
was in a stable condition.
But the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel, who was in the
hospital to see his predecessor, failed to speak with journalists when
he arrived at the hospital at about 12:10pm.
However, the Chief Information Officer of the National Hospital,
Rabiah Labaran, told journalists in her office that Akpabio was brought
to the hospital by some FRSC officers who rescued him from the scene of
the accident.
Labaran said: “He (Akpabio) was brought in this morning after he had a car crash as I learnt. He was brought in from the Bolingo Hotel junction where a vehicle crashed into his own vehicle from behind.
“Lucky enough, when they brought him after the preliminary check–up,
it was found out that he did not have any serious injury. He was talking
when he was brought in and they gave him the necessary attention at the
trauma unit.
“I learnt that as at this afternoon (12:30pm), he was taken to the
private wing of the hospital for proper care but there was no serious
injury, though it has not been disclosed what kind of injury.
“It is something he can come over in a few days. He is currently
recuperating. He was with his driver but the driver did not sustain
injury.”
He was discharged last night and sources close to him confirmed that he
would yet travel abroad to see his family and go for more medical check
up.
Source: Thisday