Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

A member of the House of Representatives and Chairman of the House Committee on Petroleum (Downstream), Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere has criticized the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio for purportedly launching a political attack on Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State during yesterday’s burial of the late Chief Executive Officer of Access Bank Holdings, Herbert Wigwe; his wife, Chizoba and first son, Chizzy.

Referring to the struggles by politicians to grab power, Governor Fubara, while delivering his tribute at the burial said, “What’s all these struggles about? You want to kill, bury, what’s it all about?”

Responding to the governor, Akpabio said, “What’s the struggle about? I will answer you. In 2006, I wanted to be deputy governor. The then deputy governor invited me and said this office has no money. There’s nothing in it. I don’t know why you still insist on removing me from here and taking over

“So, a woman who went with me said ‘your excellency, then don’t wait for impeachment, just resign if there’s nothing in it. And I said ‘it’s true; that’s why I want it. You’re too big for it’.  So, Mr Fubara if there’s nothing in the struggle. don’t struggle.”

Reacting to Akpabio’s comments, Ugochinyere, who represents Ideato North South Federal Constituency of Imo State, in a statement, described Akpabio’s utterance as childish and unnecessary.

He wondered why the Senate President would decide to turn a sad moment when family, friends are mourning such tragic losses to political jamboree.

He stated that Governor Fubara had never had issues with Akpabio, recalling that although a PDP governor, Fubara urged federal lawmakers-elect from the state to vote for Akpabio as Senate president in the 10th National Assembly.

Ugochinyere further recalled that Fubara supporting Akpabio is to advance “national interest.”

The lawmaker said this is not the first time Akpabio is meddling in opposition politics, adding that the opposition won’t continue to tolerate it.

He said: “The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio should stop meddling in opposition politics. Last month Akpabio at a function in the Tai Local Government area of the state asked the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Nyesom Wike to look for someone from Ogoni extraction to succeed state governor, Siminialayi Fubara in 2027.

“Today, he’s responding to a remark by the Governor that has nothing to do with him. The opposition is urging the Senate president to be mindful of his utterances. How can he turn the burial of late Access Bank CEO, Herbert Wigwe, wife and first son, such a sad moment, to a political attack? It’s disappointing. That’s political recklessness taken too far. We the opposition parties won’t tolerate such utterances anymore if it continues,” he explained.