Comparing Akpabio With Tinubu, Insulting _ Group

• The Coalition of Yoruba Defenders has reacted to a statement made by Alli Ndume describing it as an insult not only to President Tinubu, Yoruba race but to the entire country as a whole

Earlier, the Director General of the Akpabio/Barau Stability Group; Alli Ndume had made comparison between President Tinubu and Senator Godswill Akpabio when he said that the series of corruption cases being faced by Akpabio is similar to what Tinubu passed through before he was elected president

The group in a statement signed by its Chairman, Dr Olukunle Bademosi and released to the media in Ibadan on Friday, stated that it was wrong and insulting for Ndume to have dragged the name of the president into the challenges being faced by Senator Akpabio in his bid to become President of the Senate.

According to the group, there was no basis for the comparison.

The Yoruba Defenders added that Senator Ndume went too far by mentioning the President’s name in his defense of the humongous corruption cases against the former Governor of Akwa Ibom State which had led the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to invite Senator Akpabio severally to his office for interrogations.

Senator Godswill Akpabio, Dr, Bademosi said “ is known worldwide to be at present facing corruption charges and has been invited to meet officials of the anti-graft commission, EFCC by Tuesday, May 9, 2023 over cases of money laundering and theft running to billions of Naira.

“Among other allegations, Godswill Akpabio has been alleged of perpetrating a 40b Naira fraud when he headed the Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC.

“In 2020, the Senate and the House of Representatives resolved to probe the alleged 40 billion financial recklessness of the Interim Management Committees of the NDDC.

“Also, there were allegations of over 86 billion Naira contract scams involving the senator–elect and a former acting Managing Director of NDDC, Prof Kemebbradikumo Pondei which the EFCC has been investigating.”

“Recall that the EFCC had in the past arrested Godswill Akpabio over the alleged theft of 108.billion Naira from Akwa Ibom funds.

“Also, the EFCC had earlier invited Akpabio to appear for questioning on March 29, but his lawyer, Umeh Kalu, SAN, in a letter to the anti-graft agency claimed that his client was suffering from pneumonia and cardiac arrhythmia.

“For Senator Ndume to now be comparing the aspirant with the President of Nigeria who was never accused of sleaze either while serving as the governor of Lagos State or after serving the state or invited for any interrogation of any such i6 years after leaving office is absurd to say the least”

The Yoruba Defenders advised Ndume and Akpabio to carry their corrupt-stinking baggage without smearing others with their tainted brush and honor the invitation of the EFCC to clear their names.

The Coalition maintained it would be foolhardy for any reasonable person to suggest that a person with corruption charges be made the number three man in the country.

The group, therefore, cautioned Senator Ndume and his group never to drag the name of the nation’s president in such issues again.

The group, therefore called on all the senators-elect from Yoruba land and all the parts of the country to vote for only credible and unblemished senators-elect without any case with the anti-graft agencies as their presiding officers.