…Warns Against Blackmail
By Ikeugonna Eleke
Senator Victor Umeh, representing Anambra Central Senatorial District, has denied allegations made by Sahara Reporters that he received dollars to support the State of Emergency declared by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Rivers State.
In a statement, Umeh warned Sahara Reporters to desist from blackmailing him, stating that it was the third time the outfit had published false information about him.
Sahara Reporters, online news outfit had reported that senators collected bribe to the tune of $10,000 to okay the decision of the President to suspend the Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara.
The newspaper also alleged that Senator Umeh was among the senators disbursing the monies to other senators in the private Lodge of the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, in Abuja.
But Umeh in a reaction, said he did not receive any money to support the Approval of the State of Emergency in Rivers State and was not present at the alleged meeting on the said day where $10,000 was allegedly given to 42 Senators, let alone being one of the key figures that organized the event.
He said: ‘I did not receive any money to support the approval of the State of Emergency in Rivers State. I was not at any meeting where such payments were allegedly made,’ Umeh stated.
He explained that on the evening of Tuesday, the previous day, he attended the traditional IFTAR (Breaking of Fasting) gathering at the Senate Guest House with their Muslim brothers and sisters, where he was asked to say the Christian prayers after Senator Adamu Aliero had said the Muslim prayers at the conclusion of the IFTAR.
‘I prayed for God to grant peace to all parts of Nigeria and reconciliation to all the warring parties in Rivers State.
‘I prayed for love and for all Nigerians to embrace one another for the good of our nation. We did not discuss the State of Emergency in Rivers State at the IFTAR. There were other Labour Party Senators at the IFTAR,’ Umeh stated.
The Senator described the Sahara Reporters’ story as blackmail, stressing that it did not represent the truth.
He assured his constituents that such reports would not distract him from providing good representation, adding that the aim of the detractors was to create disaffection between him and the people and impugn his reputation.
‘This is not the first time Sahara Reporters has published false information about me. It’s becoming a serial blackmail, and I’m warning them to stop. I will not be distracted by their false reports, and I will continue to serve my constituents with dignity and integrity,’ Umeh declared.
