A socio-political group, the Akwa Ibom Progressive Forum (AIPROF), has warned that the name of Chief Godswill Akpabio, the State Governor and chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party Governors Forum (PDPGF) should not be dragged in the mud “by individuals making an attempt at mischief and hoping to cash in on the political situations in the party.”

The warning came on the heels of a media report that the Sokoto State governor, Aliyu Wammako, was suspended by the PDP because he rebuffed the PDPGF and Akpabio’s leadership of the forum.

AIPROF, in a statement signed by PastorOduduabasi Umanah and Utibeabasi Umoren, president and secretary respectively, said that Governor Akpabio had been known to enjoy the support of his colleagues, while he also gave them due respect. “Thus, it is the height of irresponsible journalism for the newspaper which has always acted as the mouthpiece of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) to publish falsehood about Governor Akpabio,” AIPROF said.

The forum stated that while it was happy that “the party had debunked the sponsored story calculated at rubbishing Akpabio and the PDP by the opposition, the people of the country should be aware of opposition shenanigans and their attempt to drag the name of Akpabio, a performer whose good works had been speaking for him, in the mud.”

•Photo shows Governor Akpabio.