GOVERNOR AKPABIO’S N50 MILLION LARGESSE TEARS NOLLYWOOD APART

Relative peace which filmmakers enjoy in the Nigerian film industry has ceased to exist as a result of accusations and counter accusations over the way and manner the N50 million largesse which the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr. Godswill Akpabio donated to support the industry was hijacked and shared by few people in Nollywood.

Already, the Association of Nollywood Core Producers(ANCOP) has petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Special Fraud Unit of the Nigerian Police Force alleging fraud in the way and manner that the money was shared.

According to the petition signed by President of ANCOP, Comrade Alex Eyengho, the association requested the EFCC to probe the role of President Association of Movie Producers, AMP, Zik Zulu Okafor, President Directors Guild of Nigeria,( DGN), Andy Amenechi,  the Secretary General  Actors Guild of Nigeria, AGN, Yakubu Abubakar, Stephanie Okereke and Linus Idahosa for obtaining the fund and disbursing it without the consent of  stakeholders.

The petition reads, that  “On June 15, 2013, news broke out that some Nollywood stakeholders under the auspices of a non-existent ‘Guild of Nollywood Stars’ visited Governor Akpabio in his office in Uyo for the purpose of collecting the N50 million pledge to Nollywood.

“The Governor presented to the visitors a prototype post-dated (25-06- 2013) Zenith bank cheque number 00063639 with Akwa Ibom State Government as the account name, issued in favour of Guild of Nollywood Stars. “We also gathered that the Governor, in his usual generosity, gave each of the visitors N500, 000 cash. “Expectedly, the massive publicity given to the entire episode by the press generated heated debates. In fact, it polarised the industry till today.

“Suspecting fraud, ANCOP immediately raised the red flag when it queried the use of a non-existent ‘Guild of Nollywood Stars’ to access the N50 million pledge, by those who visited Governor Akpabio.

“We are demanding that you immediately commence a full-blown investigation into the alleged fraudulent act over the N50 million Governor Akpabio gave to Nollywood to carry out a specific task but now domiciled in the account of one of the over 30 associations and guilds in Nollywood…Sir, anything short of this is an invitation to anarchy in Nollywood”, the group said in the petition.