The founder of Stanbic IBTC Bank, Atedo Peterside, has lambasted Senate President Godswill Akpabio for making an alleged insensitive, self-centred comment during the funeral service of the late CEO of Access Bank, Herbert Wigwe.
Recall that Mr Akpabio had come under fire for tackling Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara, over his statement at the funeral.
Mr Fubara had asked politicians who attended the funeral the essence of their struggle and killing for power.
“What is this struggle all about? You want to kill, you want to bury, what is it all about? This is a man, he’s not a politician. He made his money through us, our investments.
“He has the world in his palm financially. He controls even the political class. But today, with all the power, financially, can’t control life,” Mr Fubara said.
Responding to the governors statement, Mr Akpabio said, “We’re not going to cry in one day alone, we’ll cry so many days. When you look at the university, you will cry.
“When you pass through his personal house and edifice, you will cry. Any of the Access Bank branches worldwide, whether the one in Dubai, or whether the one in Kenya or anywhere, you will cry.
“The children that he touched, those that he sent to school and the lives he touched, when they are talking about it and they mention his name, you will cry.
“Then you will ask yourself, just like Governor Fubara said, what is the struggle all about? Your excellency, Governor Fubara, if there is nothing in the struggle, don’t struggle.”
Mr Akpabio also complained that the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, received more applause than him by the congregation.
But reacting to the Senate president’s comments on his X handle, Mr Peterside said, “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.”
