The former Governor of Akwa Ibom State and Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio, on 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.

It was gathered 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 on Monday after he was treated for shock in a private ward of the hospital.

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.

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.