The Akwa Ibom State Government has dismissed as false, misleading, and baseless reports in social media platforms suggesting that Super Eagles players contributed funds for the renovation of the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium and are dissatisfied with alleged delays in renovation works.
Fielding questions from newsmen, the State Commissioner for Information, Hon. Aniekan Umanah, alongside his Sports counterpart, Elder Paul Bassey, clarified that the stadium is 100 percent maintained by the Akwa Ibom State Government, and at no time did any Super Eagles player, or any individual, donate money for its upgrade or upkeep. They emphasized that the facility remains in excellent condition.
“The Godswill Akpabio International Stadium is one of the best football facilities in the world and currently the only stadium in Nigeria approved by both CAF and FIFA for international matches,” the Commissioners said, highlighting its compliance with global standards.
They made it clear that the stadium is maintained under a running contract with Julius Berger Plc which ensures an impeccable playing pitch, modern dressing rooms, FIFA-approved floodlights, and a fully functional electronic scoreboard, all of which were used during the last Super Eagles match in Uyo.
The Commissioners also pointed to recent recognition of the State by Sportsville, which named Akwa Ibom State Best in Sports Infrastructure, describing the accolade as independent validation of the government’s substantial investment in sports development.
Commissioner Paul Bassey further reiterated that the stadium has served as the home of the Super Eagles for over a decade without complaints from players, officials, or football authorities, and that the state government consistently provides for the team’s logistics and welfare whenever matches are held in Uyo.
Reacting to the false reports, the Secretary of the Super Eagles, Mr. Enebi Achor, described the publication alluding to players contributing to the maintenance of the stadium as “embarrassing,” noting that the players were surprised by the narrative and questioned its origin.
The Information Commissioner warned that individuals, groups, and blogs must strictly adhere to verified facts and desist from spreading false information, stressing that dissemination of fake news is punishable by law.
He further emphasized that under the leadership of Pastor Umo Eno, the Akwa Ibom State Government continues to invest heavily in sports development, including the sustained maintenance of the stadium, construction of modern facilities, provision of equipment, hosting sports festivals, and talent development programs.
The government urged the public to disregard the false publication entirely, describing it as a smear attempt that will not distract the administration from its resolve to advance sports development in Akwa Ibom State.
