The FCT senator, Ireti Kingibe, denied sponsoring the ongoing protests in Abuja, after the FCT minister accused an unnamed senator of supporting the protesters.
Kingibe, a Labour Party senator, said the video being misrepresented was recorded six weeks ago during the Nigeria Labour Congress protests at the Labour Party’s Abuja headquarters. Kingibe’s spokesman, Kennedy Mbele, expressed shock and outrage at the “blatant lies and misinformation” being spread by mischief-makers.
“The video being circulated is from over six weeks ago, during a Labour Party NWC meeting when the NLC was protesting outside the Labour Party office.
“As stakeholders, including Senators, House of Reps members, and Mr Peter Obi, we went out to engage with the protesters and address their concerns.
“Now, these deceitful individuals are trying to pass off this old footage as current, claiming that Mr. Peter Obi and I were leading protests in Abuja yesterday.
“This is a malicious and desperate attempt to discredit us. Let me set the record straight: Mr Peter Obi is not in Abuja, and I haven’t left my house since Wednesday due to illness, much less distributed food and water at the protest grounds, though that would be noble for whoever did.
“I condemn this orchestrated attempt to spread falsehoods and cause confusion, using it as the basis to claim I sponsored the Abuja protest.
“It is a shameless and irresponsible act that will not be tolerated. We will not stand idly by while our names and reputations are dragged through the mud by these unscrupulous individuals.”
