Former senator and aide to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Senator Florence Ita-Giwa has vowed to dedicate the rest of her years on earth to teaching activist and journalist, Agba Jalingo a lesson he would never forget.
Senator Giwa, angered by a post on Facebook attributed to the journalist wherein he accused the senator of mismanaging funds meant for the construction of a health centre in Bakassi in the early 90s and conniving with Governor Ben Ayade to deliver a 'scam' housing unit to the displaced people of Bakassi, challenged him (Jalingo) to "produce the following documents to back up your wild and fallacious allegations:
1) The letters of award of the contract or contracts for the supply of hospital beds to Atabong and Abana
2) A copy of your letter of request under the Freedom of Information Act for the detention warrant of my incarceration at what used to be known as the Afokang Prison addressed to the Nigerian Correctional Service .
3) The reply from the Nigerian Correctional Service stating how a rainstorm may have destroyed the requested proof of my incarceration at Afokang".
In a strongly worded press statement on Thursday, Mrs. Giwa, popularly known as Mama Bakassi said the journalist's obsession with her " now has me worried for my physical safety because your failure to assassinate my character could transform you into a full blown psychotic stalker intent on causing me physical harm". She said.
Few days after the governor Ben Ayade alongside Ita-Giwa handed over housing units to the beneficiaries in Bakassi, a video by CrossRiverWatch surfaced online wherein an elderly woman who had a meal with Governor Ayade and was 'given' a house claimed she was never given any house. She appealed to the governor to come to her aid.
See Ita-Giwa's Statement in full:
"I could not help noticing a curious confession contained in your last miscommunication about me. You let slip that since 1989 as a teenager you had been hearing about me and follwing up on how I more or less stole funds from the Cross River State meant for the supply of hospital beds in Atabong and Abana.
I wonder how a teenager could be so fixated on an older woman to the point of hallucinating about her business transactions. One begins to wonder wether or not your late mother noticed your obsession at the time, because she obviously didn't seek psychiatric help for you then.
Nothing gives fillip to your growing notoriety as a serial blackmailer and liar than your claim that I stole funds meant for hospital beds in Atabong and Abana.
This is because the year you accused me of stealing the funds, both Atabong and Abana communities were being administered by Cameroon.
How then could the Cross River State Government have awarded me contracts for the two communities? Maybe Paul Biya of Cameroon awarded the contracts.
As it is, your fixation with me has trolled you into adulthood, as you appear to still be having hallucinations about me. By your admission presumably as an adult you approached the Afokang Correctional Centre for the documentation of my detention as a result of the alleged hospital bed supply fraud. According to you, they explained that the documents may have been destroyed in a rain storm.
In keeping with my commitment to always provide succour for my people during these trying times of the Covid 19 pandemic, I moved hell and high water to make my way to Calabar on the 2nd of May to be close to my people in order to support them with some palliative relief, only to be accused by a non entity of being smuggled in by Governor Ayade to perpetrate a fraud against the very people I am sworn to protecting. What arrant nonsense coming from a buffoon like you.
This your obsession with me now has me worried for my physical safety because your failure to assassinate my character could transform you into a full blown psychotic stalker intent on causing me physical harm.
In my capacity as a grandmother that you call me, I come across remarkable personalities all the time, some of them young and enterprising. Unfortunately, I don't recall ever meeting an inconsequential pest like you. I am told that you are a man of small stature, which apparently mirrors your status as a cerebral midget. So, unfortunately I will be unable to identify you in person.
I will therefore, have to take the necessary precautions to secure my person against you in order to frustrate any potential physical attack from you or your agents.
I now challenge you to produce the following documents to back up your wild and fallacious allegations:
1) The letters of award of the contract or contracts for the supply of hospital beds to Atabong and Abana
2) A copy of your letter of request under the Freedom of Information Act for the detention warrant of my incarceration at what used to be known as the Afokang Prison addressed to the Nigerian Correctional Service .
3) The reply from the Nigerian Correctional Service stating how a rainstorm may have destroyed the requested proof of my incarceration at Afokang.
Failure to expeditiously provide the above listed documents will compel me to ask my solicitors to institute yet another libel suit against you.
Your pretence at being an activist and journalist is unravelling and I promise you that your quest to dance naked in the market square has my full support.
You are a classic example of an agent provocateur with an agenda to cause disaffection in Cross River State. How come in the history of the state no Efik son or daughter has ever cast aspersions on the many prominent and illustrious indigenes of your northern zone?
If anything the Efiks have celeberated the many iconic and colourful leaders from the northern zone of the state. Now an upstart like you has the temerity to attempt to pour scorn on me a respected Efik leader.
When I told you I have your time, you took it as an empty threat. Well, be prepared for a marathon epic battle, because I will never give in to the cheap antics of a blackmailng hustler like you.
I have worked too hard and paid my dues and therefore, will never allow a runt that you are cast aspersions on me. I'm sure you have heard the adage of the child who seeks to deny a "grand mother" sleep that the child shall also never find sleep.
Clearly you are ignorant of what it takes for a woman to ascend the height of my political achievement in Nigeria.
If you did, you would have hesitated to tango with me. Do you know the epic political battles I have had to fight and win against formidable forces?
Have you a clue the quantum of insults and invectives i have had to endure for a Liliputian like you to challenge me?
Since you have decided not to respect my old age I too have decided to dedicate the rest of my years on earth to teach you a lesson. You have murdered sleep, prepare for the consequences. I am ready for you".
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