The coalition of Yoruba defenders has called on the director-general, Akpabio/Barau stability group, Sen. Alli Ndume, to stop dragging President Bola Tinubu’s name to his senate presidency’s race.

This is contained in a statement signed by its Chairman, Dr Olukunle Bademosi and made available to newsmen on Friday in Ibadan.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had invited Sen. Godswill Akpabio over corruption allegations.

Mr Ndume had, however, dismissed claims by Akpabio’s opponents and their loyalists over the allegations against the former governor of Akwa Ibom.

“It is not surprising that whenever a politically-exposed person is contesting elections, some people will be sponsored to raise issues against him or her.

“Don’t forget that President Bola Tinubu was also severally accused when he was campaigning to be president.

“We are not actually bothered about what the sponsored groups are saying about Akpabio. The anti-graft agencies know what to do. Why are they teaching them what to do?” Mr Ndume had said.

Mr Bademosi, however, said that Mr Akpabio should not be compared with Tinubu, saying that the president never had issues with any anti-graft agency.

He said that it was wrong and insulting for Mr Ndume to drag the president’s name into the challenges being faced by Mr Akpabio in his bid to become senate president.

Mr Bademosi said that Mr Akpabio should exonerate himself of the charges before the anti-graft commission rather than dragging the president’s name into the race.

“Ndume should stop comparing Akpabio with the president who was never accused of sleaze, either as Lagos governor or after serving the state.

“There was never any allegation of sleaze against the president and neither was he ever invited for interrogation by EFCC,” he said.

Mr Bademosi, however, called on all the senators-elect from Yorubaland as well as other parts of the country to vote for only the presiding officers who had no case with anti-graft agencies.

(NAN)