The senator representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Ireti Kingibe on Friday, August 2, denied sponsoring the ongoing protests in Abuja.

FCT minister, Nyesom Wike, had raised the alarm that an unnamed senator was one of those behind the Abuja protests by supplying them with food and water.

However, the Labour Party (LP) senator said the video being misconstrued was recorded six weeks ago during the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) protests at the National headquarters of the LP in Abuja.

Kennedy Mbele, spokesman of the senator, quoted his boss as saying: “I am shocked and outraged by the blatant lies and misinformation being spread by mischief-makers!

“The video being circulated is from over six weeks ago, during a Labour Party NWC meeting when the NLC was protesting outside the Labour Party office.

As stakeholders, including Senators, House of Reps members, and Mr Peter Obi, we went out to engage with the protesters and address their concerns.

“Now, these deceitful individuals are trying to pass off this old footage as current, claiming that Mr. Peter Obi and I were leading protests in Abuja yesterday.

“This is a malicious and desperate attempt to discredit us. Let me set the record straight: Mr Peter Obi is not in Abuja, and I haven’t left my house since Wednesday due to illness, much less distributed food and water at the protest grounds, though that would be noble for whoever did.

“I condemn this orchestrated attempt to spread falsehoods and cause confusion, using it as the basis to claim I sponsored the Abuja protest.

“It is a shameless and irresponsible act that will not be tolerated. We will not stand idly by while our names and reputations are dragged through the mud by these unscrupulous individuals.”