The Directorate of Media and Public Affairs, Office of the Senate Leader, has dismissed claims of an altercation between Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Directorate debunked allegations circulated on the X handle of Jackson Ude, described as a “serial blackmailer and cash-and-carry journalist.”
The claims alleged a physical confrontation between Senator Bamidele and Senator Akpabio on Wednesday.
The Directorate clarified that Senator Bamidele had never engaged in physical altercations throughout his over two decades in politics, including his tenure as President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).
“It is surprising that the purveyor of this misleading information, driven by selfish motives and unprofessionalism, discarded journalistic ethics to peddle baseless rumours aimed at tarnishing the image of the Senate Leader,” the statement read.
The statement further noted that the allegations were a calculated attempt to create disaffection within the Senate and destabilise the political environment.
Contrary to Ude’s claims, the Directorate highlighted that the Senate Leader and Senate President, along with other principal officers, had jointly received the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Yu Dunhai, and his delegation shortly after the plenary session on Wednesday, saying photographs of the meeting were widely published in major national newspapers.
Additionally, it was confirmed that Senators Bamidele and Akpabio departed the National Assembly premises together in the same vehicle on the day in question.
Issuing a stern warning, the statement said the Senate Leader cautioned individuals like Ude against misinterpreting his gentlemanly disposition as weakness.
It said any further defamation against the Senate Leader would be addressed using the provisions of the Cybercrime Act 2015.
The Directorate urged the public to disregard the misinformation, describing it as entirely baseless and unworthy of attention.
The statement concluded with a reaffirmation of Senator Bamidele’s commitment to his duties and his intent to protect his reputation and office against such malicious attacks.