Civil society groups, professional, youth and gender rights organizations, human and civil rights groups, social affairs commentariats and public policy analysts under the aegis of the National lnterest Forum have unequivocally condemned the resort to calumny, libel and malicious slander by some paid media hacks and sponsored hatchet men against the person and office of the Senate President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr Godswill Obot Akpabio in the ongoing Senator Natasha Akpoti saga which ‘the No 3 Citizen has since graciously put behind him in the interest of national unity, peace and stability’
Clarifying further, the NIF in a communique issued by its public relations officer, Comrade Jude Odumodu and made available to newsmen recently called out those ‘agents of confusion, disharmony and disunity for unnecessarily raising dust and dissonance when none existed and deliberately distracting from the delivery of democratic dividends agenda of the 10th National Assembly by sponsoring media disinformation and deliberate falsehood as to what actually transpired in the Senate leading to the ongoing Senator Natasha Akpoti stand-off.
For the avoidance of any iota of doubt whatsoever, no one has been witchunted, oppressed, harassed, intimidated or deliberately pressurized by any presiding or principal officer, let alone the President of the Senate who is singularly focused on his onerous discharge of his legislative, representative and oversight functions including presiding over the apex parliamentary institution, leaving little time for any other frivolities or unwarranted pastimes.
Thus, we are deeply shocked and unconditionally condemn the absolutely false social media reports insinuating any acts of moral impropriety that directly or indirectly led to the tense face-off in the Senate.
Such morally opprobrious insinuations only exist in the distorted, infantile and malicious imaginations of their paid authors and has no bearing in truth, fact or relevance whatsoever.
We are not unaware that some rather mischievous and overambitious elements outside and even within the National Assembly may see this minor standoff as an opportunity to gain political advantage or leverage when none actually exists to be exploited at all.
For those inordinately ambitious political henchmen, we respectfully urge them to seek greener pastures elsewhere as the National Assembly is cohesively united and coherently organised under the resolute, committed and astute leadership of Distinguished Senator Godswill Akpabio in taking the people’s welfare and wellbeing to the next level in the crucial scheme of things. There is no vacancy to exploit or egress as we of the National lnterest Forum are confident that the present National Assembly leadership is focused, purposeful and pragmatic in it’s approach to democratic governance and constitutional legislation in all positive ramifications. Forward Ever, Backward Never’, the NIF communique concluded.
