Senator Smart Adeyemi set off drama on Tuesday at the Senate when he called Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu “a champagne-drinking man”.
Adeyemi was contributing to a motion on safe school initiative in Nigeria when he made the comments.
He was reacting to a social media post that attacked Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello. The post was linked to Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe who represents Abia South, an allegation he denies.
“Despite that some governors are doing their best, we are lucky to have a governor who has taken the issue of security as a serious priority,” Adeyemi said.
“We are bordered by nine states but we had an experience of the unfortunate incidents that are happening in neighbouring states.
“Some governors are committed to the protection of their people. In my state, the governor awarded contracts for the renovations of schools and provides security services to them.
“In some states of Nigeria today, where we have highly intelligent people, highly educated people, very enterprising people, like Abia, they are governed by drunkards. The governor of Abia is a champagne-drinking man.
“Abia people are impoverished more than ever before. Abia people are unfortunate.”
Senate President Ahmad Lawan immediately cut in and cautioned him against the use of such language.
Abaribe expressed shock over Adeyemi’s comment and urged him to apologise to Ikpeazu.
“I’m very surprised that my good friend and colleague decided to open up on the governor of Abia for something I never said,” he said.
