The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Kalu has distanced himself from the alleged campaign of calumny against the minister of state for Labour and Employment, Hon. Nkiriuka Onyejiocha.
Kalu said this in a statement by his chief press secretary, Levinus Nwabughiogu, in reaction to a press conference addressed national coordinator of Progressive League of APC Youth Voters, Usman Shuaibu in which the allegations were made.
The deputy speaker said he shares a healthy and robust relationship with Onyejiocha both as a sister and worthy partner in the government of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
“Were it not for purposes of protecting the unsuspecting members of the public who may inadvertently be hoodwinked by a tirade of spurious narratives, the office of the deputy speaker would never be bothered about making a rebuttal.
“What rather comes to mind is that the press conference was misdirected or at best, done without the consent of the minister who obviously would be embarrassed by it because it has the imprints of a people on a mission to infamy and perfidy.
“But the fact that Onyejiocha has not yet disassociated herself from the press conference leaves a huge worry and casts aspersions on her person as to what manner of a minister would be creating an impression of someone deliberately courting trouble where none exists.
“From what is conceivably right and true, Onyejiocha is a sister whose integrity would be brutally assaulted by a group that chooses to drag her name to raising false accusations,” he said.
According to the statement, except on issues of collective patrimony in Abia State or of national significance in APC, Kalu does not share a direct political affinity with Onyejiocha so as to be engaged in a feudal struggle.
It said both officials hail from different political constituencies and so, there is no basis for a political war at all.
“Kalu’s passion is to engender a new paradigm shift in political leadership especially as it affects the youth of this country.
“Besides, at the moment, Onyejiocha as a minister functions under the executive arm of government while Kalu is preoccupied with legislative duties at the National Assembly.
“With these obvious distinctions, it then beats an imagination that Kalu from Bende Federal Constituency, unusually preoccupied with a plethora of national engagemets would effortlessly pick up a quarrel with his sister from Isukwuato/Umunneochi federal constituency.
“It will suffice to say that the office of the Deputy Speaker sees this as a false alarm and deliberate plot to cause a disaffection between a brother and his lovely sister.
“Recall that Kalu has used every opportunity to seek support for Onyejiocha,” the statement reads further.
