The attention of the Office of the President of the Senate has been drawn to a publication by the Conclave online newspaper titled “Drama at National Assembly as former Senate President Ahmad Lawan puts up a shocking solo move of amnesia”, wherein the writer attempted to disparage the person and impugn the integrity of the President of the Senate, Senator (Dr) Godswill Akpabio, CON by surreptitiously linking him to amnesia and corruption.
We want to state for the records that the President of the Senate, His Excellency, Distinguished Senator Godswill Obong Akpabio, CON, by the special grace of God enjoys an excellent health of mind and body and has never at any time in his life suffered a debilitating diseased condition.
In all his public life as a commissioner in Akwa Ibom, two-terms governor, minister of the Federal Republic, two-times senator and President of the Senate of the Federal Republic has never exhibited any form of amnesia.
He has been a shining light in public life and conducted his affairs in the most decent manner discharging his responsibilities with utmost decorum and rationality.
It is, therefore, mischievous, disease- minded and the height of unethical journalistic practice for the Conclave to conjure and manufacture a lie from the pit of hell that Senator Akpabio had often missed his way to the chamber as a Senator of the Federal Republic.
We are surprised that the publisher of the Conclave, who is supposedly a very senior journalist and a lawyer in equity, could publish such a contracted concoction and thrash. If former Senate President Ahmad Lawan had gone to the chamber on Thursday as the Conclave wants the world to believe, where is the nexus with the EFCC going after Senator Akpabio or the allusion to missing his way in the National Assembly?
If this is not a hatchet job, why would Senate President Akpabio be brought into this story? Why was his case with the EFCC elaborately researched and quoted in the story? Who is bankrolling this orchestra in the theatre of the absurd? The lame effort at tar-brushing the Number Three citizen and destroy him in itself is a demonstration of the Editorial Board of Conclave’s flair for merchandising.
For the records, there has never been a time that Senator Godswill Akpabio was under pressure from the EFCC.
We urge well meaning Nigerians to discountenance this tissue of lies and yellow journalism by the Conclave. No sane person will contemplate linking an active, dynamic, physically and psychologically sound statesman like Distinguished Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio to amnesia.
We also advise the Conclave to desist from this line of negative journalism. If the intent is to bring the person of Senator Akpabio and his exalted office to disrepute, let the Editorial Board of the Conclave perish the thought because Nigerians know better than the innuendoes the online publication wants to foist on him.
Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio cannot be destroyed with deliberate lies and make up stories. No amount of blackmail will distract him from collaborating with the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration to give Nigerians a new lease of life.
*Hon Eseme Eyiboh
Special Adviser, Media/Publicity and Spokesperson to the President of the Senate.
