By Ayodele Oni
The public apology by the All Progressives Congress (APC) deputy governorship candidate, Senator Uche Ekwunife, to Anambra State Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo and his wife, has been thrashed and dusted into bin as it was described as “lacking in credibility, and did not emanate from her.”
Governor Soludo described is as “another unsubstantiated social media gossip,” saying that the Soludo administration would proceed as though the document never existed, while still demanding a clear and unambiguous retraction from Senator Ekwunife herself.
This was contained in a statement by Soludo’s Senior Special Assistant on New Media, Mazi Ejimofor Opara, on Wednesday.
In a press statement issued on her behalf by her Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Tony Ezike, Ekwunife extended an unreserved apology to the Soludos, expressing regret over the comments and acknowledging that they crossed a line.
The statement described the apology as a “bold and necessary step” toward de-escalating political tensions and restoring civility.
Ekwunife’s defamatory remarks against Governor Soludo and his wife, led to the First Lady issuing a 72-hour ultimatum to Ekwunife to tender apology or be ready to be dragged to court.
The statement titled ‘Sen. Ekwunife’s Purported Apology: Another Fabrication Fit for the Waste Bin,’ argued that the unsigned press release said to have emanated from the “Ekwunife Campaign Organization,” was suspicious, misleading and inadequate.
“There is no such campaign body since Ekwunife’s ticket is a joint one with the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Anambra.
“The publication purporting to be an apology for the defamatory statements made against the Governor and his wife personally by Senator Ekwunife does not appear to have emanated from the Senator herself, given that her defamatory statements were made directly via recorded video and leaked audio conversation.”
He maintained that any retraction or apology must come directly from Senator Ekwunife, using the same means through which the offensive remarks were made.
The governor added: “The so-called apology never referenced Madam Ekwunife’s initial video and audio, but instead focused on an unsigned article.
“This only points to her complicity, directly or indirectly, as the source of the article. It implies that no genuine apology was intended or tendered.”
The statement recalled that the Anambra First Lady, Dr. Nonye Soludo, had earlier challenged Senator Ekwunife to clear herself on two issues: first, to swear an oath before the Blessed Sacrament affirming fidelity to her marriage; and second, to subject her children to a DNA test, alongside the Soludos’ own children, to disprove infidelity allegations.
Any contrite apology must follow a personal and direct retraction of her defamatory statements. Slander or libel directly made by an individual cannot be vicariously dismissed by any agent or proxy.”
Ekwunife had on Wednesday publicly apologized to Governor Soludo and his wife over an earlier allegation of infidelity.
The apology followed a heated public exchange between the senator and the governor, which escalated after Governor Soludo reportedly questioned the authenticity of Ekwunife’s academic qualifications, particularly her PhD.
In a sharp rebuttal, Ekwunife had involved the governor’s wife in the dispute, making controversial claims about her personal life allegations Mrs. Soludo had firmly denied.
