Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere, a member of the House of Representatives and Chairman of the House Committee on Petroleum (Downstream), has criticized the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, for launching a political attack on Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State during the burial of Herbert Wigwe, the late CEO of Access Bank Holdings, his wife, Chizoba, and their first son, Chizzy.
Governor Fubara, in his tribute, questioned the political struggles and asked, “What’s all these struggles about? You want to kill, bury, what’s it all about?”
In response, Akpabio mentioned his 2006 bid to become deputy governor, emphasizing that the office had no money, and he wanted it despite that.
Ugochinyere described Akpabio’s remarks as childish and unnecessary, questioning why the Senate President would turn a moment of mourning into a political jamboree.
The lawmaker urged the Senate President to be mindful of his statements and avoid turning solemn occasions into political attacks.
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.”
