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NO ATTACK ON IKPEAZU! KELVINATOR DISMISSES ALLEGATIONS AGAINST SEN. DARLINGTON NWOKOCHA, CHALLENGES CRITICS TO PRODUCE EVIDENCE
NO ATTACK ON IKPEAZU! KELVINATOR DISMISSES ALLEGATIONS AGAINST SEN. DARLINGTON NWOKOCHA, CHALLENGES CRITICS TO PRODUCE EVIDENCE
The controversy surrounding the address by Labour Party Senatorial Candidate for Abia Central, Senator Darlington Gideon Nwokocha, at the Abia State Tricycle Operators Union (ASTOPU), Aba Zone, roadshow at Osisioma Roundabout has taken a fresh turn, following a strong rebuttal by media practitioner and publisher, Orih I. Kelvin, popularly known as TheKELVINATOR, who has dismissed allegations that the senatorial candidate attacked former Abia State Governor and Nigeria’s Ambassador to Spain, Dr. Okezie Victor Ikpeazu.
Kelvin, in a strongly worded response to the allegations, described the controversy as a case of false narrative, political mischief and manufactured outrage, insisting that Nwokocha neither mentioned Ikpeazu’s name nor directed any personal attack at him during his address to Abians and members of ASTOPU.
He challenged those demanding an apology from the Labour Party candidate to identify the specific words allegedly used against the former governor, insisting that political criticism, campaign promises and development advocacy must not be deliberately distorted and presented as personal attacks.
According to him, a careful examination of the circulating video would establish that Nwokocha’s address centred on the development agenda of Governor Alex Chioma Otti, the administration’s ongoing interventions and additional projects expected to be delivered if the governor secures another mandate in 2027.
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Kelvin maintained that the substance of Nwokocha’s engagement was about development, infrastructure, political mobilisation and the future of Abia State, rather than any confrontation with a former governor.
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He questioned the basis of the allegations, asking critics to identify where exactly Nwokocha mentioned Ikpeazu’s name, what specific statement constituted an alleged attack and which portion of the video established the accusation.
He argued that it was troubling that an address focused on development and the continuation of government projects had suddenly been transformed into an imaginary confrontation between two political figures, warning against the growing tendency to promote assumptions and political interpretations as established facts.
The media practitioner further challenged those circulating the allegations to present the complete video rather than rely on selective interpretations and sensational narratives capable of misleading the public.
He insisted that nobody should be compelled to apologise for an offence that has not been established, adding that anyone making an accusation must be prepared to substantiate it with verifiable evidence.
Invoking the Igbo proverb, onye kwuru okwu, ya mara ihe o kwuru, Kelvin emphasised that whoever speaks should know what he has said, just as whoever accuses another person must be prepared to establish the basis of the accusation.
He also defended Nwokocha’s democratic right to campaign on the achievements, policies and future development plans of the political platform he represents, stressing that political candidates must be allowed to sell their party’s agenda without every discussion about infrastructure being interpreted as an attack on previous administrations.
Kelvin questioned whether discussions about roads, flyovers, drainage systems, urban renewal and other infrastructure projects should automatically be construed as insults against former occupants of Government House.
He maintained that Abians deserve issue-based political conversations focusing on employment, healthcare, education, security, infrastructure and economic opportunities rather than manufactured disagreements over personalities who were not even mentioned in the speech.
In a significant clarification, Kelvin also distanced himself from the personal and political affairs of Senator Nwokocha, explaining that he is neither related to the senator, a member of his media team nor a member of his campaign council.
He stated that his intervention was informed by his direct involvement in the media publication of the ASTOPU Aba Zone roadshow, explaining that he was responsible for the publication surrounding the event and therefore had a responsibility to correct what he considered a misrepresentation of the proceedings.
He stressed that his position was not an attempt to defend anybody’s private political relationships, previous party affiliations, alleged political negotiations or personal history, but rather to protect the integrity of information and ensure that the event was not used to advance a narrative inconsistent with what transpired.
Kelvin consequently cautioned those introducing allegations about private visits, political reconciliations and purported negotiations into the controversy to understand that such claims, whether true or false, cannot establish what Nwokocha said at Osisioma Roundabout.
He equally addressed the intervention by the sociopolitical group identifying itself as Ukwa Ngwa, Yes We Can, acknowledging the right of the organisation to advocate unity among the Ngwa people and defend the dignity of former leaders, including Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu.
However, he warned that respect for former political officeholders must not become a justification for distorting public statements or restricting legitimate political conversations.
According to him, unity cannot be built on manufactured grievances, while respect cannot be demanded through the distortion of facts.
Citing the Igbo saying, Eziokwu bụ ndụ (Truth is life), Kelvin maintained that truth must remain the foundation of every genuine effort to protect the collective interest and dignity of the Ngwa people.
He further argued that public statements in the modern political environment are frequently recorded and circulated, making it imperative for individuals and organisations to examine available evidence before issuing condemnations or demanding apologies.
On the issue of infrastructure, Kelvin emphasised that the administration of Governor Alex Otti must remain open to constructive criticism, just as previous administrations and future governments should be subjected to public scrutiny.
He noted that questions concerning the quality of roads, the sustainability of infrastructure, contractors’ performance, maintenance of public facilities and other government projects are legitimate issues that deserve factual examination.
Nevertheless, he insisted that genuine scrutiny must not be confused with allegations of personal attacks against former political officeholders.
He challenged critics who have concerns about the Osisioma flyover, adjoining roads, the fountain or any other infrastructure project to present verifiable evidence and technical assessments rather than diverting discussions into allegations of personal confrontations.
Kelvin also described the demand for an apology from Nwokocha to Dr. Ikpeazu and the Ngwa people as premature, insisting that an apology must be founded on an established wrongdoing rather than an accusation sustained by selective interpretation.
He called on those making the allegations to identify the exact statement, provide the relevant portion of the video and explain how the words amount to a personal attack.
He further condemned suggestions that additional remarks could attract consequences, warning that political disagreements should be resolved through dialogue, evidence and democratic engagement rather than threats or intimidation.
According to him, nobody should be threatened for participating in legitimate political discourse, bullied into silence for supporting a political party or compelled to apologise merely to satisfy a politically convenient narrative.
Turning attention to the 2027 political contest, Kelvin maintained that Abians deserve a mature political environment in which political parties and candidates can freely present their records, defend their policies, challenge opposing arguments and offer alternative development programmes.
He stressed that Senator Darlington Nwokocha, as the Labour Party candidate for Abia Central Senatorial District, has every democratic right to canvass support for his party and advocate the continuation of the development agenda of Governor Alex Otti.
He urged those who disagree with the senator to challenge his arguments, interrogate his proposals and present competing ideas instead of attributing statements to him that the circulating video does not establish.
Describing the controversy as a distraction from more important developmental conversations, Kelvin insisted that the people of Abia deserve discussions about the future of the state rather than unnecessary political hostilities manufactured around personalities.
He concluded by calling for an end to the alleged misrepresentation of Nwokocha’s address, insisting that the complete video and the actual words spoken should remain the basis for public judgment.
His position, he emphasised, remains that the controversy should not be allowed to overshadow the larger issues of development, democratic participation, political accountability and the future of Abia State.
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