Peterside Criticizes Akpabio For His Remarks During Wigwe's Burial [GALLERY]

Atedo Peterside and Godswill Akpabio 

Sen. Akpabio lamented that Peter Obi got more cheers than he did at the funeral for Herbert Wigwe's family

Mr. Peterside characterized Mr. Akpabio's statements as “completely insensitive and self-centered”

Atedo Peterside, the founder of Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc, has expressed his displeasure with remarks made by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during the late Herbert Wigwe's funeral for Access Holdings.

Following the deaths of Mr. Wigwe, his wife, son, and other individuals in a helicopter crash in the United States last month, a funeral was held in Rivers State.

In a post on his X page, Mr. Peterside narrated how Mr. Akpabio started off his speech by complaining that Peter Obi, the Labour Party's 2023 presidential candidate and a former governor of Anambra state, was welcomed more warmly than he was.

Mr. Peterside expressed his disapproval and questioned whether it was appropriate to make political jokes and jabs at such a serious occasion.

Mr. Akpabio's comments, according to him, were “self-centred and totally insensitive.”

“For the record, I was among those who found the Senate President's comments at the Wigwe Family Funeral in PH to be in poor taste. He began by lamenting that PeterObi received greater applause than he (Akpabio) got & later told us to join him in consoling the widow who was lying in one of the 3 caskets in front of him. Jokes? Political jibes at a solemn Combined Funeral? Methinks that was self-centred & totally insensitive, he wrote.

Mr Wigwe, along with his wife Chizoba and son Chizi, died in a helicopter accident in the United States on 9 February.

Their bodies were laid to rest on Saturday at their ancestral home in Isiokpo, the headquarters of Ikwerre Local Government Area in Rivers State.

The governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, urged the political class to consider the fundamentals of their struggle and political activities in a widely shared video on X.

He questioned whether using violence and aggression was really necessary, as well as the motivations behind the fierce political battles.

“What is this struggle all about? You want to kill, you want to bury, what is it all about? Is it not enough today to ask ourselves why are we struggling?

“Why are we not making an impact in the lives of our people? Please, political class, let's go home with that question, and be answering it in our minds, and reflecting it in what we do,” Mr Fubara said.

Mr. Akpabio directly addressed Mr. Fubara, sayiny: “I will answer you. We are not talking politics. In 2006, I wanted to become the deputy governor and the then-deputy governor invited me and said this office has no money, there is nothing in it. I don't know why you still insist on removing me from here and taking over.

“So, a woman who went with me said Your Excellency, don't wait for impeachment, just resign since there is nothing in it (the office).”

The Senate President reported that the deputy governor got up and began striking the woman.

“I said Your Excellency, don't punch the woman, she is telling the truth, there is nothing in it. That's why I want it because you are too big for it.

“Your Excellency, Governor Fubara, if there is nothing in the struggle, don't struggle,” Mr Akpabio said.

Since then, the statement has sparked contentious discussions on social media and drawn criticism from a large number of X platform users.

“Senate President, Godswill Akpabio has shown he lacks emotional intelligence. What Governor Fubara said at the burial of Herbert Wigwe is the only takeaway from this tragedy: 'After everything, we will leave this life. There's nothing we struggle for.' The only word to describe Akpabio is - petty. The Pastor did well in putting him in his place,” Ozii Baba, a tweep, said.

“The nonsense Akpabio displayed at Wigwe's burial just shows how immature and insensitive he is. A family is hurting mourning the death of their son, his wife, and his child and you turned it into a political battle throwing bangs left to right. Nah, if I was Wigwe's family, I'd shut you up immediately, you must be nuts!!!!,” another X user, Sports Doctor, wrote.

“Akpabio is overrated, unintelligent, and insensitive. Men of his character should be nowhere near power,” stated Onovo Nkem, another X user.

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