The ruling All Progressives Congress APC has asked the Minority Leader of the Senate, Enyinnaya Abaribe to retract his invectives against Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi state and immediate apologize to the governor and people of the state for attacking the youthful and positive vibes of the governor.
APC in a statement by its Acting Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Mr Yekini Nabena said it was not surprised that the People’s Democratic Party PDP will peddle falsehood in an attempt to conceal well known and documented truth.
The party also rose in defence of Kogi West senator, Smart Adeyemi for calling out Abaribe and his governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, noting that “a careful perusal of the facts on ground shows clearly that Senator Adeyemi’s response was initiated by Abaribe’s unbidden and unprovoked utterances on the floor of the Senate”.
APC said all the three senators from Kogi state had made attempts to get Abaribe to apologise but that the Abia senator was recalcitrant, saying unless Bello renounces his ambition ahead of the 2023 general elections.
Part of the statement read: “We make reference to the deplorable video by Senator Abaribe against His Excellency, Governor Yahaya Adoza Bello, which has been circulating on most social media platforms. As expected, the attention of Senator Smart Adeyemi was immediately drawn to the video by well-meaning kogites who were naturally disturbed by the falsehood of its contents.
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“The three Senators representing Kogi state, Adeyemi inclusive, approached Senator Abaribe, insisting that his false and malicious utterances were not just an assault on the Governor of Kogi State, but to all Nigerian Youths who have ambition to serve our great country, Nigeria. They tried without luck to persuade Abaribe to retract the verbal and unwarranted attack on His Excellency, Governor Yahaya Adoza Bello particularly as the contents were in its entirety false and not a true representation of the Governor, or the state of affairs in Kogi. The senators approached him in a bid to remedying an already bad situation. But Abaribe vehemently refused to heed their call for peace. Rather, he insisted that he would not disassociate himself from the video, stating in what would appear to be calling their bluff, that Governor Bello should dismiss his ambition to run for any office come 2023 and clearly said that he will neither retract nor apologise.
“Therefore, Senator Abaribes utterances was not just an aspersion on himself, but other Senators representing Kogi State at the red chambers.
“On this note, the ‘strong warning’ issued by the PDP should immediately be directed at Senator Abaribe who should have considered his Governor and constituents before making false andunbridled statements about a performing Governor of another State, worst still, refusing vehemently to retract and apologise.”
Abaribe, fearless advocate of justice —Ikpeazu
Meantime, Gov Okezie Ikpeazu has described the Senate Minority Leader and senator representing Abia South, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, as “a fearless advocate of justice and egalitarianism”.
Ikpeazu stated this in his goodwill message to the former Deputy Governor at his 66th birthday.
The governor in the message signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Onyebuchi Ememanka, noted with delight that “Senator Abaribe’s life has become synonymous with service to our people, built on solid principles, and sustained by the power of courage”.
It read in part: “From his days as Deputy Governor of Abia State in 1999, Abaribe has carved a clear niche for himself…a niche for the relentless pursuit of the enthronement of justice and equity in our polity. A pursuit he undertakes with great courage and strong personal convictions.
Till date and as Senate Minority Leader, Abaribe remains who he has always been, namely, a fearless advocate of justice and egalitarianism in public service”.
Ikpeazu further described the Senate Minority Leader as “my elder brother and my political leader”.
The governor on behalf of his family, the Government and People of Abia State, wished the Distinguished Senator a very happy birthday and prays the Almighty God to grant him many more years ahead.