Nigerians have been warned to be wary of new webs of lie being woven by disgruntled members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and some opposition politicians to smear the image of Akwa Ibom State governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio, with the purpose of weakening the structure of President Goodluck Jonathan ahead of 2015.

The call was made in Abuja by the Good Governance Initiative Nigeria (GGIN) via a statement signed by its president, Alhaji Kabiru Usman.

According to the group, the latest round of lies that Akpabio is behind the problems of the PDP and that he is spearheading the move for the removal of the party’s chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, because of his purported ambition to be vice-president, is not only inane but also ungodly. GGIN said that past attempts to bring Akpabio down for his loyalty and commitment to the party and the presidency had failed, a development that could have led the sponsors of political chicanery to create new tissues of lies.

The statement reads in part: “It is incredible that anyone could point accusing fingers at Akpabio for the problems of the PDP, just as it is demonic that people could be so unrelenting in sponsoring lies just to score a cheap political point.

“Akpabio, through the years, has shown how committed he is to the cause of the party and President Jonathan and the cordial relationship between him and the chairman as well as the president must be unsettling a lot of people to have warranted these lies. Since when did 100 per cent loyalty become a problem to a political party? Since when did articulate and dedicated leadership of the PDP governors become a problem with which to smear people’s image?”

“It is just sad that some media organisations allow their platform to be used to peddle lies, as it is left to be seen how Akpabio would harbour an ambition to be vice-president at a time the South-South has its son as president for the first time and is craving to have its fair treatment from Nigerians by allowing President Jonathan in office for a second term.”