The Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, has denied allegations she was dolling out dollars to a yet to be identified group to launch a media campaign for her to unseat the Speaker of House Representatives, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas Tajudeen.
Onyejeocha in a statement issued by her Chief Press Secretary, Gabriel Emameh, on Monday said she was too busy to be distracted, describing the allegation as dirty politics taken too far and challenged those making the allegations to come out with proof.
The statement reads in parts: “Our attention has been drawn to a statement credited to one Abidemi Johnson, a yet to be identified lady who claims to be the convener of Coalition of Asiwaju Progressive Woman (CAPW) in which she tagged the Honourable Minister of States for Labour and Employment, Barr. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, as ungrateful and plotting to cause a leadership crisis in the House of Representatives.
“The so called Abidemi also in the statement alleged that the Honourable Minister dolled out dollar to a yet to be identified group to launch a media campaign for her to unseat the current Speaker of House Representatives, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen.
“We want to state clearly that these are pointblank lies sponsored by her political enemies who have no line between darkness and light; morality or absurdity. This is indeed not only laughable but also calls for thorough investigation.
“So, these baseless allegations did not by anyway come to us as surprise; we have had wind of several plots before hand to launch a media campaign against her, should the judgment at the Tribunal turn out in her favour. That is the scenario being enacted in their desperation to pull her down.”
She said the campaign was coming just few hours after a pro APC group congratulated her on the victory at the Tribunal, urging her to return to the National Assembly.
“Ordinarily, the infertile statement and spurious falsehood would not have been given due attention but for the uninformed, we wish to say that the statement is a product of disquiet from her political enemies. It’s the wild imagination of convoluted, distorted, warped minds of mischief makers and conflict entrepreneurs who are out to pitch her against the leadership of her party, the All Progressive Congress.
“Many had thought that Onyejeocha’s victory at the tribunal which is a plus to the party, could have been a thing of celebration. But no, because their plot to retire her from active politics continues to hit the rock.
“It should be noted that while it is her right, like every other Nigerian, to challenge the outcome of an election she was not satisfied with, as provided by the constitution of the Federal of Nigeria, they should also be reminded that Onyejeocha was already at the Election Petition Tribunal before she was appointed a Minister.
“Would she have abandoned her pursuit to regain what was stolen from the APC as a family for politicians with parochial interests, greed and an unbridled sense of entitlement or for the opposition party?
“For the record, Honourable Nkeiruka Onyejeocha is currently focused on her national assignments assigned to her by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Ministry of Labour and Employment and also by the leadership of the All Progressive Congress as a co-chairman of the party’s national council for governorship election slated for November. Her loyalty to party is unquestionable.
“Who would have thought that a mere statement of appeal issued by women who share the same vision with the Honourable Minister asking her to go consider going back to the House to pursue critical national Bills, would stirred the honest’s net, if not for mischief?
“We challenge anyone as alleged by this faceless group that Hon Nkeiruka dole out money for this said purpose to come out with prove. This is a dirty campaign taken too far.
“We have no doubt that discerning and well-meaning Nigerians are conscious of the ignoble role of these men who should be ignored. Our prayer is that her detractors will soon come to terms with the futility of their actions and succumb to the supremacy of the will of God, the Almighty,” the statement added.
