An aide to Senator Joel-Onowakpo Thomas has firmly rejected claims made by the former Niger Delta Affairs Minister, Godsday Orubebe, that he played a key role in the senator’s campaign during the 2023 general elections.
Reacting to a viral video circulating online, Ebiakpo Ezebiri, Senior Special Assistant to Sen. Joel-Onowakpo Thomas on Ijaw Affairs, described Orubebe’s assertions as “false and misleading.”
He insisted that the former minister had no involvement in coordinating or accompanying the senator during campaign tours.
Ezebiri, who served as director of protocol throughout the campaign period, said he was directly responsible for overseeing the senator’s movements and logistics across the senatorial district.
According to him, at no point did Orubebe play the role he now claims to have performed.
“I was part of every movement the senator made during the campaign, and there was no instance where Orubebe took him around Delta South,” Ezebiri stated.
He further clarified that Orubebe did not serve as director-general of the senator’s campaign.
Instead, he noted, the former minister held a similar position in the governorship campaign of Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, which he described as unsuccessful.
While acknowledging Orubebe’s standing as a political figure, Ezebiri expressed concern that such claims could mislead the public if left unchallenged.
He also raised questions over alleged financial references made in the video, including claims involving ₦250,000 and ₦3 million, demanding clarity on when and how such transactions supposedly occurred.
“These are weighty claims without any supporting facts. When exactly were these funds given, and under what circumstances?” he asked.
Ezebiri cautioned that public figures must be mindful of their statements, warning that unverified claims could be interpreted as attempts to misinform or exert undue pressure.
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“As a leader, people listen carefully to what he says. While he is free to support any candidate, such support should not be accompanied by claims that cannot be substantiated,” he added.
He explained that the rebuttal was necessary to prevent the public from accepting the claims as truth, noting that silence could easily be misconstrued as confirmation.
“We would have preferred to ignore it, but doing so might give the impression that the allegations are true. They are not and should be disregarded,” Ezebiri said.
The response comes amid heightened political discussions in Delta State following the circulation of the video, which has generated varied reactions across political and social platforms.
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