The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, has said that he would not succumb to any form of subjugation or cowardice, neither would he accept to be covertly or overtly distracted from the tasks he has been entrusted by his constituents and Nigerians.
The Deputy Speaker also called on the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Hon. Nkiruka Onyejeocha to get busy and contribute in finding solutions to the myriad of challenges facing the country at this time instead of asking jobless youths to occupy the National Assembly.
Kalu stated this in a statement issued Tuesday by his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Levinus Nwabughiogu.
He distanced himself from the alleged campaign of calumny against Onyejeocha.
The lawmaker noted that were it not for the purpose of protecting the unsuspecting members of the public who may inadvertently be hoodwinked by a tirade of spurious narratives, he would not have bothered about making a rebuttal.
The Deputy Speaker said: “The attention of the Office of the Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives has been drawn to a press conference wherein one Usman Shuaibu who claimed to be the national coordinator of ProgressiveProgressive League of APC Youth Voters spewed allegations of campaign of calumny against the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Hon. Nkiriuka Onyejiocha by the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu.
Kalu stressed that he shares a healthy and robust relationship with Onyejiocha both as a sister and worthy partner in the government of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
He added that what rather comes to mind was that the press conference was misdirected or at best, done without the consent of the minister who obviously would be embarrassed by it because it has the imprints of a people on a mission to infamy and perfidy.
He added that the fact that Onyejiocha has not disassociated herself from the press conference leaves a huge worry and casts aspersions on her person as to what manner of a minister would be creating an impression of someone deliberately courting trouble where none exists.
Kalu noted: “From what is conceivably right and true, Onyejiocha is a sister whose integrity would be brutally assaulted by a group that chooses to drag her name by raising false accusations.
“Similarly, the office of the Minister is supposedly established to help the government to create jobs for our teeming unemployed youths. Rather than creating jobs through some political subterfuge and encouraging them to occupy the National Assembly because Kalu was not sacked by the Court, a new paradigm shift should be born to make the youths succeed in matters of decency.”