The Senate has clarified the relationship between the newly appointed Managing Director of the South-South Development Commission, Usoro Akpabio, and Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
There have been media reports that Usoro is the first daughter of the Senate President.
However, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Publicity, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, debunked viral claims, noting that they had no familial ties.
Adaramodu, who made the clarification in an interview with The PUNCH on Sunday, dismissed the rumour as baseless.
“There is no iota of truth in that report,” he said. “It’s just like hearing someone named Adaramodu in Osun or Ondo and assuming he’s my brother. Things don’t work that way.”
According to him, despite sharing a surname and state of origin, there is no familial relationship between the two Akpabios.
“The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, is entirely different from Usoro Akpabio, the MD of the South-South Development Commission. Culturally, people may have similar names, but that doesn’t mean they are related,” he explained.
“This appointment was based on merit and was made by the President. She is not in any way connected to the former governor of Akwa Ibom.
“Of course, that doesn’t mean a qualified member of the Senate President’s family couldn’t be appointed. But in this particular case, there is no relationship whatsoever,” Adaramodu stated.