“I know him personally and intimately” – Ben Murray-Bruce defends Akpabio

Former Senator Ben Murray-Bruce, who represented Bayelsa East, has openly defended Senate President Godswill Akpabio against corruption allegations by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

Atiku, in a recent interview with Arise News, labeled Akpabio corrupt, citing his tenure as governor of Akwa Ibom State.

The comment came in response to the National Assembly’s approval of the State of Emergency in Rivers State, which Atiku suggested was influenced by Akpabio’s leadership.

Reacting via his X page on Wednesday night, Murray-Bruce dismissed Atiku’s claims, stating that Akpabio had been extensively investigated and had “come out clean as a whistle.”

He described Akpabio as a man of “unimpeachable good character” and emphasized the need for political stability over partisan disputes.

He further warned against allowing “innuendo, hearsay, and dog whistles” to overshadow facts, stressing that the National Assembly should not be undermined for political reasons.

In a lengthy post, he wrote;

“I know Senator Godswill Akpabio personally and intimately. He is a man of unimpeachable good character, and both the South-South and Nigeria are fortunate to have him at the helm of affairs at the National Assembly at this delicate stage in our national growth.

“On the issue of corruption, here we have a man who has been investigated in and out by independent investigative agencies and friends and foes alike, yet he has come out clean as a whistle. Nigeria needs stability and men of ability, and it behoves us as a nation to tread with caution at this critical time of our national life. Institutions such as the Legislature should not be trifled with because of partisan considerations.

“I will not stand idly by while some persons try, both home and abroad, to destroy an institution I was once proudly a part of. I am a Nigerian, who is proud of Nigeria, and will give my all to protect and project my country to the world.

“I give him my right hand of fellowship and stand firmly with him. Innuendo, hearsay, and dog whistles will always come. But they can never be so powerful that they will take preeminence over facts.”

https://twitter.com/benmurraybruce/status/1905012810654060891