Group demands Senator’s resignation over ‘drunkard’ comment on Abia governor

The National Democratic Front (NDF) has called on the lawmaker representing Kogi West, Smart Adeyemi, to quit the National Assembly following his comment on Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu.

Condemning Adeyemi’s outburst, the group said the Senate is a “hallowed place of lawmaking and must be protected from misfits such as Smart Adeyemi.”

Recall that the Kogi West Senator, in an attack during plenary last week, described Ikpeazu and other leaders from Abia State as a drunkard. 

However, the group in a statement signed by its Secretary-General, Dr Bolaji Abdulkadir, labelled Adeyemi’s comment as reprehensive, utterly misplaced and gross abuse of the office. 

The group said, “Smart Adeyemi may be chasing shadow by his futile attempt to cast aspersions on a performing Governor which at best is attracting hate on his person from the public.”

According to Abdulkadir, “the Abia governor is a serious performer whose efforts to develop Abia State in the last 5 years cannot be wished away by a man out to please his political godfathers in Kogi State.”

It further described “Governor Ikpeazu as an infrastructure giant, a colossus and peacemaker per excellence and should be allowed to concentrate good governance to his people.” 

The group, however, advised the lawmaker to channel his energy on his legislative functions and avoid attention-seeking.

It further warned that Adeyemi’s failure to resign will draw the anger of the over 30 groups that are signatories to the NDF. 

“For crying out loud, the Senate Chamber is not a village square whereby even people with known cases of dementia, drug addicts and people who speak before thinking have the opportunity to vomit thrash when important matters are under discourse,” the group said.

“We find Adeyemi’s comment as reprehensive, utterly, abuse of the office that he holds and above all, the desecration of the hallowed chamber of the Senate and must be condemned by all lovers of democracy and its tenets.”