APC gov primaries: I didn’t assault women, men, Okotete says

Hon. Stella Okotete, Executive Director, Business Development, NEXIM Bank, has described as false, an online publication that she assaulted and threatened women and men with thugs in the governorship primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC), saying she did not participate in the exercise.

Okotete in a statement signed by Barr. Ejiro Etaghene, her Special Assistant (Legal), said the publication was aimed at marring her integrity “as a person, a mother, a community representative, a youth motivator speaker, a key player in the country’s Financial Sector and also as a leading member of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.”

The statement read: “Hon. Stella was not a delegate and did not participate at the APC governorship primary elections. She was in Abuja for a committee inauguration at the evening of Saturday the 29th of September 2018 and got into Lagos the morning of September 30th, 2018 and was not even in Asaba until later on the evening of the said day.

“Hon. Stella Okotete is not aware of any of the aforementioned “crises” or if there was any on that day, as the umpires had adjudged the process of the primaries to be peaceful, free and fair.  She had only come to the venue of the primaries to congratulate the winner when the results were announced.

“Hon. Stella Okotete is known for conducting herself responsibly in public, and has not even gotten physical strength or muscles for fights and does not own or move around with “thugs”. Hence, it is quite laughable that an accusation of her assaulting women and men and/or threatening people with thugs; in the governorship primary elections that she did not participate in, has been labeled on her.

“It is important to be clear that this was an All People’s Congress (APC) Delta state governorship election and Hon. Stella Okotete has been clamoring for a unified party. She views every member of her political family as herself and does not wish anyone of them death and neither does she have the capacity to kill anyone as wrongly claimed.

“At the time she came to the election arena, the winner had already been announced and she did not make any of such comments and cannot make such comment even though she strongly supports High Chief Great Ogboru’s mandate.

“Hon. Stella Okotete is committed to the mission of bringing the “Change mantra” to Delta State and we are AWARE that enemies of this mission sponsored this malicious publication.

“She is a true progressive and a firm and ardent supporter of the vision of the Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government in positive and progressive light and will not participate in, encourage or condone any action that betrays the “Change” mantra.

“It is also important I reaffirm Hon. Stella Okotete’s undying commitment to the continuous improvement of Nigeria’s economic status, youth inclusiveness and political unity, especially in the discharge of every aspect of her official mandate in the APC-led Federal Government.”