The Senate has refuted widespread speculation that Usoro Akpabio, the newly appointed Managing Director of the South-South Development Commission, is the daughter of Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
This clarification was given by Senator Yemi Adaramodu, who chairs the Senate Committee on Media and Publicity, during an interview with The PUNCH on Sunday.
President Bola Tinubu recently nominated Mrs. Usoro Akpabio for the position of MD and also named former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chibudom Nwuche from Rivers State, as Chairman of the Commission.
The appointments were detailed in a letter read on the Senate floor during Thursday’s plenary, which was presided over by Senator Akpabio.
Following the announcement, rumors quickly circulated that the new MD is the Senate President’s eldest daughter. However, Senator Adaramodu dismissed these claims, calling them completely unfounded.
“There’s absolutely no truth to the reports,” he said. “It’s like assuming anyone with the same surname from Osun or Ondo is my relative — that’s simply not how it works.”
He stressed that while the two share a surname and hail from the same state, there is no family link between them.
“The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and Usoro Akpabio, the new MD of the South-South Development Commission, are not related. Having similar names doesn’t imply a family connection,” he explained.
Adaramodu emphasized that the appointment was strictly on merit and solely made by President Tinubu.
“She has no ties to the former Akwa Ibom governor,” he added. “That’s not to say someone from the Senate President’s family can’t be appointed if qualified — but in this specific case, there is no connection whatsoever.”