Senator Ireti Kingibe, the Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Women Affairs, has denied allegations that she sponsored recent anti-government protests in Abuja. The accusation came from Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), who claimed that security agencies had identified a senator involved in supporting the protests.
Wike made the announcement following an emergency FCT Security Council meeting on Thursday, suggesting that the unnamed senator had been providing incentives such as food and water to the protesters.
In response, Senator Kingibe released a statement through her Special Assistant on Media, Kennedy Mbele, clarifying that the video being circulated was from a Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) protest at the Labour Party headquarters in Abuja over six weeks ago.
"I am shocked and outraged by the blatant lies and misinformation being spread by mischief-makers," Kingibe stated. "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."
Senator Kingibe explained that she, along with other stakeholders, including Senators, House of Representatives members, and Labour Party figurehead Peter Obi, engaged with the protesters at that time to address their concerns. She emphasized that the current claims attempting to link this footage to recent events were unfounded.
"This is a malicious and desperate attempt to discredit us," she added. "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."
The senator condemned the spread of false information, labeling it a "shameless and irresponsible act" and reiterated that both she and Mr. Obi were not involved in any protests in Abuja.
Peter Obi had also clarified that he was in Anambra State and could not have been in Abuja simultaneously. Senator Kingibe urged the public to disregard the misleading video, asserting that her stance on the #endbadgovernance protest was clear, as stated in a recent interview with Channels Television.
The allegations and subsequent denial come amid heightened political tensions in the country, with various parties seeking to clarify their positions on recent protests against the government.
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