Abia Kicks as Adeyemi Abuses Ikpeazu
Says Kogi senator needs psychiatric evaluation
There was mild drama at the Senate plenary yesterday as Senator Smart Adeyemi representing Kogi West, deviated from chamber rules while contributing to a motion on the urgent need for the restoration and revalidation of the Safe School initiative in Nigeria.
Adeyemi, after making his contribution in support of the motion, changed the topic, describing Abia State Governor,
Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, as a drunk.
But in a swift response, the Senate Minority Leader, Senate Enyinnaya Abaribe asked the Kogi senator to tender an apology to the Abia State governor.
The Abia State government, in a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information, Mr. John Okiyi Kalu, described Adeyemi as “village idiot” when requires psychiatric evaluation.
Adeyemi, who is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Aviation, was apparently responding to a social media post linked to Abaribe, who is from Abia State, which allegedly insulted Kogi State Governor, Mr. Yahaya Bello.
Adeyemi said that Abia State people are unfortunate to be governed bya “champagne-drinking-governor”.
The senator, while commending some governors in their fight against insecurity, however urged them to do all that they can, because Nigeria is such a large nation, adding that the federal government alone cannot police all the schools.
He said, “In some states of
Nigeria today, where we have highly intelligent people, highly educated people, very enterprising people; like Abia, they are governed by drunkards.
‘’The governor of Abia is a champagne-drinking man. Abia people are impoverished more than ever before. Abia people are unfortunate.’’
But the Senate President, Dr. Ahmad Lawan cautioned the lawmaker against the use of abusive language.
Reacting, Abaribe denied making the statement, Adeyemi made reference to.
Abaribe expressed shock over Adeyemi’s “drunkard” comment and urged him to apologise to Ikpeazu.
He said: “Mr President I will like to make a clarification. Unfortunately, what has happened here today is one of the problems that you see on social media. I never made any comments on the governor of Kogi State. Never!
“What has happened is what we see going on today. People write something and tag your name to it. And if you don’t ask question, you will not know whether you actually said it or not. And I see so many things tag to me but I don’t talk. The last time I saw Nuhu Ribadu, I also spoke to him. Something was tagged to his name that was very deleterious. I’m very surprised that my good friend and colleague decided to open up on the governor of Abia for something I never said.”