Patty Etete, a former member of the House of Representatives, has resigned as senior legislative aide to the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, citing sustained hostility, alleged physical assaults and administrative irregularities within the Senate President’s office.
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In a letter dated February 27 and addressed to Senate President Akpabio, Mr Etete said his decision to resign was “long overdue” and followed years of “humiliation, discrimination and denial of access” to Mr Akpabio.
Mr Etete, who represented the Ikot Ekpene/Essien Udim/Obot Akara Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives from 2007 to 2011, said he accepted what he described as a “downgraded designation” in good faith.
“You invited me to be part of your ‘first eleven’ of appointees, given my roles and contributions both at the senatorial election and the contest for the Senate presidency,” he wrote.
He added that although his appointment was announced as a special assistant, he was later made to serve as a senior legislative aide, a situation he considered as being “demeaning”.
He alleged that while working with Mr Akpabio, he operated in a hostile environment, was denied privileges and was “severally assaulted physically by fellow aides”.
Mr Etete claimed that some of the incidents occurred with Mr Akpabio’s knowledge.
The former lawmaker also raised concerns over a symposium on the creative economy that he coordinated to support the Senate President’s legislative agenda.
According to him, the event attracted participants from Nigeria and abroad, including resource persons who reportedly funded their own travel, accommodation and presentation materials with the expectation of reimbursement.
He alleged that more than six months after the event, the interim report had yet to receive the Senate President’s attention for legislative follow-up, and that outstanding bills submitted by service providers remained unpaid.
Mr Etete asked Mr Akpabio to approve payment of an attached bill covering expenses incurred during the symposium, arguing that settling the debts would preserve the reputation of the Senate President’s office and honour the contributions of those he described as “patriotic Nigerians”.
The former aide also claimed he mobilised over 240 support groups in Akwa Ibom State for Mr Akpabio’s ambition and President Bola Tinubu’s, but lamented that promises made to engage and appreciate the groups were not fulfilled.
In his letter, Mr Etete referenced a vow allegedly made with some political associates regarding Akpabio’s ambition before a “statue of Mary”. Mr Akpabio is a Catholic.
“Your Excellency, sir, each time I remember how yourself, myself, Rt. Hon Ubong Etiebet and the current Minister for State, Gas, knelt down before the statue of Mary, making a vow concerning your ambition, my heart bleeds,” he said.
Mr Etete added, “Yet, your former Deputy Chief of Staff insisted that unless I pledged allegiance to him, the support groups and I would not be accommodated. Did we meet and make the vow at the foot of the sculpture of Christ Jesus’s real mother?”
When asked for clarification, Mr Etete said the vow before the statue of Mary took place at Mr Akpabio’s home in Asokoro, Abuja.
“To me, it was a chapel and not a shrine,” he said.
Mr Etete said the vow was that those who took it would not betray the Senate President and he in turn, would not betray them either.
When contacted, Eseme Eyiboh, the special adviser on media and publicity to the Senate President, said he was not aware of Mr Etete’s resignation.
“Hon Patty Etete was my colleague in the House of Representatives and for about three years now, we have both shared mutual trust and respect as colleagues in the office of the President of the Senate. I’m not aware of his resignation as a senior legislative aide in the office,” Mr Eyiboh said.
He added that, because he was unaware of the resignation, the circumstances surrounding it were beyond his knowledge.
Mr Eyiboh, however, described the work environment within the Senate President’s office as structured and coordinated in compliance with public service rules and constitutional guarantees.
“I can attest to the robust and healthy relationship that staff members enjoy within and around the office of the President of the Senate. The office is well-structured and coordinated by experienced personnel, in substantial compliance with public service rules and protocols. Human rights in the office are subsisting within the remit of guaranteed constitutional rights,” he said.
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