Emami Obi, a former Commissioner for Information in Akwa Ibom State, has called for an end to the media spat between Natasha Akpoti, a politician, and Godswill Akpabio, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs. The two have been in a war of words following a perceived slight by Akpabio towards Akpoti’s late father, Senator Francis Ala Ga Akpoti, during a recent interview.
According to Obi, the ongoing media spat between Akpoti and Akpabio is “unhelpful, petty, and divisive”. He believes that the feud is only serving to distract the public from more pressing issues affecting the country. Obi urged Akpoti and Akpabio to end their war of words and focus on issues that can bring benefits to their communities.
Obi argued that the media spat is also promoting negativity and hate speech, which is detrimental to the well-being of society. He expressed hope that the two individuals will take a step back and reflect on the impact their words have on others. Obi called on journalists to be responsible and accurate in their reporting, and to avoid taking sides in the dispute.
The controversy began when Akpabio, during an interview, seemingly referred to Senator Akpoti as a “man” instead of a woman, which Akpoti took as an insult. Since then, both individuals have traded insults and accusations, with Akpoti calling Akpabio “rude” and “disrespectful”, while Akpabio has accused Akpoti of “playing the gender card”.
Emami Obi’s call for an end to the media spat has been met with mixed reactions, with some people agreeing with his sentiments and others arguing that Akpoti has a right to respond to perceived disrespect from Akpabio. The ongoing controversy has also drawn attention to the need for leaders to demonstrate respect and dignity in their interactions with others.