The Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Mr Udom Emmanuel has given thanks to God for saving his life in last Saturday’s Reigners Church building collapse in Uyo. He spoke during a solemn assembly at the Government House Banquet Hall in honour of victims of the collapsed building.

According to him, he declared that not more than 23 lives were lost.

Further speaking, the Governor debunked claims that one of his aides pushed him out of the collapsing building and lost his life in the process, saying the only staff directly in his service who lost his life was a driver who sat elsewhere in another location within the church because he was also a member of the church.

The Governor said the earlier figures from some section of the media came as a result of multiple counting as a result of the different private health centres that victims were rushed to, before being transferred to the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, and the Specialist hospital in Uyo.

He thanked God who honoured the covenant he made concerning his executive council members, maintaining that none of them died in the disaster.

He said he was able to charter aircrafts to bring in neuro-surgeons from around the country, adding that his efforts resulted in 99 percent success rate for all the injured victims.

Acknowledging the presence of the deputy senate president Ike Ekweremadu, Governor Emmanuel appealed for assistance from the federal government to help in the medical expenses of the victims.

He further reassured Akwa Ibom people not to be despaired by the occurrence as God is still with the state, noting that accidents could occur anywhere to anybody.