Akpabio Vs Natasha: Group Tackles Senate President’s Aide Over Botched Solidarity Rally

Stakeholders of a foremost socio-cultural organisation, Ukpum Ete Unity Association (UEUA), in the Ikot Abasi local government area of Akwa Ibom State, have condemned what they described as denigrating remarks against the group by Mr.Jackson Udom, the media aide to the Senate President, over the botched rally in solidarity with Senator Godswill Akpabio in the festering sexual harassment tango with the Kogi Central Senator Natasha Akpoti -Uduaghan.

The group had last week concluded plans to stage a solidarity rally in support of the Senate President in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, but Udom, in a swift reaction countered the move and disowned the group and the leaders as fake, even as he labeled the chief organiser, Engr. Ubong Idemudo, as “controversial”.

Rising from an emergency meeting of the association at the weekend in Uyo, the leaders, including the Secretary-General, Hon Emmanuel Ekwere, dismissed the scathing remarks by the Senate President’s Aide against their revered statesman as “unacceptable” and called for immediate retraction and apology within seven days.

A communique at the end of the meeting, frowned at what they called “reckless utterance by Jackson Udom,’’ noting that “such unpalatable language shouldn’t have been deployed by a trained media professional working for the number three citizen of Nigeria.”

Part of the communique signed by the UEUA president, Mr. Eno Etukakpan, read: “We view this sentimental and infantile rhetorics coming from a media officer to the Senate President with utter dismay and disbelief. We do not query the right to suspend the proposed solidarity rally, but calling our worthy son Engr. Ubong Idemudo, ‘controversial’ is our concern.

“Ordinarily, we would have ignored it but for posterity. We rise to clarify this obvious anomaly after due deliberation at our just- ended emergency meeting. We state categorically that our son is not controversial. He is an engineer by profession and working in a well recognised corporate organisation, a fact that cannot be disputed by anyone.

“He is a scholar, a known philanthropist and a goal – getter. Choosing to support or organise a solidarity rally for our beloved Senate President following the current infraction between him and the suspended Senator Natasha, to us, wasn’t a bad idea being part of his personal, corporate social responsibility to his dear elder statesman.

“For one reason or the other, that the office of the Senate President resolved to suspend the proposed rally should not give that lacuna for the purveyors of falsehood and campaign of calumny to abuse his person.

“UEUA frowns seriously at this unpalatable statement and appeals to the public to disregard this misinformation.
As an association of very noble personages, we will not take it kindly with any individual or group that will put up further derogatory statements against our worthy son forthwith.

“We do not wish to join issue with the matter at stake especially since it’s in court. Our concern is about the image and total well being of our dear son; he’s our hope and our ambassador. Our revered association remain committed to the leadership of our distinguished Senator Akpabio.”