The Leadership of the National Frontiers and Mobilization Initiative (NFMI) led by its National Coordinator, Ms Isioma Theodora Ndah has described as unfounded and venomous, statements credited to Primate Ayodele on 10th Senate leadership.

The group has stressed that the contest of the 10th Senate leadership which saw the emergence of Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio as the Senate President was a process that was transparent and fair as it was aired live by different national and international news stations.

They stressed that a bulk of the aspirants who were majorly of Igbo extraction willingly stepped down their aspiration before the conduct of the election and most of them queued behind Senator Akpabio’s candidature.

In a statement signed by its Secretary, Mr Austin K. Abel, the group said, “Our attention has been drawn to a statement entitled; “Akpabio emerging Senate President huge slap to Igbos, I see unexplainable trouble” credited to a Christian cleric, Primate Ayodele which is now trending in other social media platforms.

“Ordinarily, we would have kept mute, but we are, however, constrained to respond in order to use the opportunity to set the records straight for the sake of public learning.”

“Senator Akpabio outside being the most qualified for the Senate President, is a product of democracy who grew from a common Commissioner to become a two-term Governor of the oil-rich, Akwa Ibom State and thereafter became a minority leader in the 8th Senate after he was democratically elected as Senator representing the Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial District in 2015. As a beneficiary of our growing democracy, His Excellency, Akpabio will ever stand against any elements that are capable of destabilizing and incapacitating democratic procedures and rules.”

“Ayodele was quoted in the publication thus “Bringing in a Christian senate should be Igbo’s turn, not a south-south person. A south-south emerging is a slap to the Igbos.’’ we want to remind Ayodele that the South-East and South-south regions are not in a rival relationship and both regions have in the past united for a common national purpose that saw several Senator of Igbo extractions emerge as Senate President, Deputy Senate President, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and other principal positions in the National Assembly. In previous Presidential elections, the Southeast and South-south regions had on different occasions given full support to each other once a Presidential or Vice Presidential Candidate emerged from either side.”

According to the group, “This long-term political relationship saw the domination of Southeast by former President Goodluck Jonathan in the 2015 Presidential election and in the 2019 election, Atiku Abubakar dominated South-south because of Peter Obi who was the then Vice Presidential Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). In the recent Presidential election, the South-South votes which ordinarily should have been given to His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in whole, were divided because of the mutual relationship the South-south is sharing with the Southeast region.

“We also use this opportunity to congratulate Nigerians especially the just inaugurated Senators of the 10th Senate on their successful inauguration. We also thank them for standing by His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in endorsing and electing the Akpabio-led Leadership of the Senate”. The group added.