Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe representing Abia South, has dismissed as fake news, reports trending in the social media that he disrupted senate plenary demanding immediate release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
The former Senate Minority Leader, in a statement by his Media Aide, Uchenna Awom, urged members of the public to disregard the mischievous report, which he said was the handiwork of his detractors.
The statement read: “The attention of the office of Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe has been drawn to a false and very misleading report purporting a disruption of Senate Plenary by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe demanding the immediate release of Nnamdi Kanu.
“The report is false and was at best a concoction that defies logic. It was a deliberate misinformation that insinuates a sinister motive aimed at sabotaging the ongoing efforts at exploring political solution to release Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Distinguish Senator Abaribe was last seen on the Senate floor last Wednesday and travelled out of Abuja on Thursday for an oversight function in Ikwuano Umuahia, Abia State organised by the Senate Committee on Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
“In any case, the Senate does not sit on Fridays – It conducts its plenary sessions from Tuesdays to Thursdays, making the claim of a shutdown on a Friday baseless.
“Matters that are sub judice (under judicial consideration) are not debated in the Senate – The case of Nnamdi Kanu is currently before the courts, and as a rule, the National Assembly does not interfere in judicial proceedings.
“Therefore, Senator Abaribe couldn’t have embarked on such effort knowing it’s futility. The truth is that he did not lead any protest or obstructed legislative proceedings.
“The public is therefore urged to disregard this fabricated report and refrain from sharing unverified information.”
