…Says comment appalling, disgraceful
By Ezeocha Nzeh
As the controversy over the alleged de-marketing of Innoson Vehicles at the senate rages on, the Senator representing Anambra South in the National Assembly, Senator Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah, has demanded an unreserved apology from Senator Chukwuka Utazi over his point of order on the floor of the senate, alluding that a senator had tried to de-market the indigenous vehicle manufacturing company.
Senator Ubah in his response to two apology letters from the Senator representing Enugu North, demanded an unreserved and unambiguous apology on the floor of the Senate, just as he insisted that Utazi names the Senator who had opposed the purchase of the Innoson brand of cars by the Senate.
According to the letter to Utazi, dated July 17th and made available to the media, Senator Ubah stated that it was unfortunate that Utazi could descend so low to allow himself to be used to play petty/gutter politics.
According to Senator Ubah, ”I write in response to your letters dated 14th of July 2020 and 16th July2020 wherein you tried to clarify the unfortunate and clueless comments you made during the plenary session of the 9th Senate on Tuesday, July 14,2020 over an unverified and fake social media story.
“In your letters, you maintained that the Point of Order you raised on the Senate Floor was never directed at me but was made to protect the interests of Igbo businesses.
“While I commend your acknowledgement of the importance of promoting the Igbo economy which is my core mantra and one of my utmost priorities in the National Assembly, it is unfortunate that you failed to mention the Senator who committed such an unpardonable act by opposing the procurement of vehicles made by Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing (IVM) Company Limited (a company situated in my constituency, Anambra South) during a Senate transport Committee Meeting which I am neither a member of, nor have I ever attended the said committee meeting.”
Ubah noted, “I find it most unfortunate and sad that till now, you are still unable to produce any evidence to prove that the alleged incident to de market IVM occurred, or at least, apologize and inform Nigerians that you erred by bringing an unverified social media rumour to the floor of the Senate. As a distinguished Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, you should have contacted or consulted the leadership of the Senate Committee on Transport or any member of the committee which our highly respected brother and leader from Enugu; Senator Dr Chimaroke Nnamani is a member, to find out if such happened; rather you chose to discuss it on the floor of the Senate plenary based on hearsay. This is very appalling and disgraceful!
“My dear colleague, how will you feel if I come before the Senate and allege that an Igbo Senator plotted to betray your constituent without being bold enough to name the said Senator? How will you feel if I come to the floor of the Senate and discuss an unverified fake social media story that has your name attached to it without seeking clarification before raising it at the Senate plenary? It is true you did not mention my name while raising the Point of Order
He maintained that “I had to respond to you because an obviously sponsored hatchet writer had in the previous days prior to the Tuesday plenary session used a fictitious-pseudo name to trend a fallacious story that I allegedly kicked against the purchase of Innoson vehicles in a transport Senate Committee meeting. You can imagine the embarrassment that I felt on witnessing your presentation on the floor of the Senate, hence my demand that you mention the name of the perpetrator if indeed such a thing truly occurred before the intervention of our highly respected colleagues who intervened on your behalf and had to abandon plenary and escort me back to my office where they all expressed surprise at your action.
“I find your action very distasteful and demand that you tender a clear, proper and unreserved-apology to my constituents, Ndi Anambra, your home State, the Senate, Ndi Igbo whom I hold so dearly and Nigerians in general for bringing an unverified and fictitious fake social media report to the floor of the Nigerian Senate which by extension, has defamed my reputation and also reduced your office to a tool for petty/gutter politics and fake social media propaganda.
“However, I am highly consoled by the intervention of our respected colleagues Senator Chimaroke Nnamani, Senator T.A Orji and Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe to forgive you if you tender an unreserved apology which you have failed to adhere to in your past two(2) letters, hence my reply,” he declared
