Rep member gives Sen Smart two legislative days to retract comments against Ikpeazu

Member Representing Arochukwu/Ohafia Federal Constituency, Abia State, in the House of Representatives, Hon. Uko Ndukwe Nkole has asked Senator Representing Kogi West Senatorial District, Senator Smart Adeyemi to publicly retract his comments against the Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu in the next two legislative days.

The Senator and the Abia Governor had been in a war of words since Tuesday over senator Addyemi’s comment referring to Governor Ikpeazu as a “champagne drinking Governor”.

DAILY POST recalls that in a statement on Tuesday, the governor slammed Senator Smart for allegedly insulting him on the floor of the Senate during Tuesday plenary.

Reacting also, Hon. Uko, in a statement made available to DAILY POST on Wednesday, described Senator Adeyemi’s comment as “uncomplimentary and unparliamentary submissions that breaches our rules against the leader and the Governor of Abia State, Dr. Okezie Victor Ikpeazu in the hallowed chamber of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.

He said no Nigerian parliamentary books permits the senator to use the chamber to propagate hate speech, adding that one of the cardinal functions of the parliament is to defend and uphold the integrity and rights of every law-abiding citizen.

Hon. Uko stressed that Governor Ikpeazu had never been convicted of drunkenness, adding that the governor was not the subject of discussions in the house, therefore, his name should not have been mentioned.

The statement reads in part: “I note sadly that efforts by the Senate President to call him to order were rebuffed as he was hell-bent on going down the voyage to infamy.

“I also consider it as a disrespect to the 9th National Assembly as an institution that our hallowed Chambers would be used to engage in such unbecoming personal attacks that have no bearing on the business of Lawmaking.

“As an Abian, I state without equivocation that my Governor, His Excellency, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, does not in any form or manner, represent the picture painted by Senator Adeyemi and his records on education and recent efforts that have positioned Abia State as #3 in Nigeria among the states attracting foreign direct investment and cash flow, has been sterling.

“I, therefore, declare that Senator Adeyemi’s outburst is a breach of my privilege as a Member of the National Assembly from Abia State and respectfully call on the Chairman of the National Assembly and the Senate President to;

“Kindly direct that the unsubstantiated uncomplimentary comments made against His Excellency, Okezie Ikpeazu, Governor Of Abia State by Senator Smart Adeyemi be expunged from the records of proceedings of the Senate plenary session of Tuesday 23/02/2021.

“That Senator Smart Adeyemi should without delay and within the next two legislative days, on the floor of the Senate, publicly retract his ugly remarks against Governor Okezie Ikpeazu and other well-meaning people of Arochukwu/Ohafia Federal constituency and Abians who freely elected Dr. Ikpeazu the Leader and Governor of My home state, Abia.

“That Senator Adeyemi apologises in clear and unambiguous language for his undignified outburst”.