The Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District Professionals, IK-PRO, has threatened legal action against individuals and media organisations over reports concerning the visit of Mrs Ekaette Unoma Akpabio, wife of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, to the National Assembly complex.
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The group, comprising professionals from the Senate President’s senatorial district, said publications suggesting that Mrs Akpabio improperly accessed the Senate chamber and was accompanied by persons described as “marabouts” or “spiritualists” were false, malicious and damaging to the reputations of those involved.
In a statement jointly signed by its President, Edidiong John; Secretary-General, Kemfon Neke; and Director-General, Sekenim Asuka, IK-PRO demanded the withdrawal of the reports and warned that it would explore legal remedies where, in its view, the publications crossed the line from legitimate scrutiny into defamation, harassment or cyberbullying.
The controversy followed reports that Mrs Akpabio visited the National Assembly complex on a Saturday and spent about 50 minutes within the facility while the Senate was on recess.
The visit subsequently generated public debate, with some reports questioning the purpose of her presence at the complex and describing some of the persons who accompanied her as spiritualists.
IK-PRO rejected that characterisation, insisting that the people who accompanied Mrs Akpabio were professionals and that describing them as “marabouts” amounted to an attack on their professional standing.
The group queried the basis upon which any of the individuals could have been identified as spiritualists merely from their appearance and accused some commentators of deliberately sensationalising the visit.
“The IK-PRO cautions sections of the media against turning ordinary events involving members of the Senate President’s family into sensational narratives designed to create suspicion, ridicule or public hostility,” the statement said.
The group also argued that while public officials and their associates could legitimately be subjected to scrutiny, such scrutiny should not, in its view, be extended into what it described as harassment or character assassination of family members who do not hold public office.
“We recognise that Nigeria is entering another politically charged season and that political actors, journalists and commentators will naturally scrutinise public officials. That scrutiny is legitimate and necessary in a democracy.
“However, political contest must not become a licence for harassment, character assassination, cyberbullying or the weaponisation of innocent family members who hold no public office,” IK-PRO said.
The group warned that Nigeria’s legal framework provides remedies against defamation, harassment and unlawful digital attacks, adding that it would not hesitate to resort to lawful processes to protect the interests of the Senate President, his family and the office he occupies.
“We also remind those behind the continuing online attacks that Nigeria’s legal framework provides remedies against cyberbullying, harassment, defamation and other unlawful forms of digital abuse.
“IK-PRO will not hesitate to explore all lawful avenues available to protect the dignity and legitimate interests of the Senate President, his family and the office he occupies where these attacks cross the boundaries of lawful criticism,” the statement added.
Meanwhile, separate explanations attributed to the Office of the Senate President said Mrs Akpabio’s visit was administrative and was undertaken with the knowledge and authorisation of relevant National Assembly officials.
The Senate President’s Special Adviser on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations, Jibril Lawal Tafida, reportedly said the visit was connected with the inspection of malfunctioning equipment and other facilities within the Senate chamber.
According to the explanation, Mrs Akpabio was accompanied by electrical engineers, information and communications technology specialists, audio-visual technicians and building-maintenance experts, rather than spiritualists as alleged in some reports.
It was further stated that complaints had been received from senators and staff over defective facilities and the alleged poor execution of some contractual work within the chamber.
Mrs Akpabio was said to have offered to inspect the facilities and provide the Senate President with an informed assessment of their condition.
The explanation also maintained that the inspection was carried out on a Saturday when the Senate was not sitting in order to avoid disrupting legislative activities and that established security procedures were not breached.
IK-PRO consequently called on political actors, commentators and media organisations to exercise restraint and avoid what it described as the manufacture of controversy around Mrs Akpabio’s private activities.
“We therefore call on political actors and their supporters to exercise restraint and allow Mrs Ekaette Unoma Akpabio to go about her legitimate affairs without being subjected to manufactured controversy,” the group said.
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