In the said publication dated 15th November,2019 and posted about 56 minutes ago,the said Usman Okai Austin who is Igala by tribe and from Kogi State, mischievously fabricated and alleged that Distinguished Senator(Dr) George Akume has directed the Resident Electoral Commissioner(REC) for Kogi State,Professor James Apam to return Governor Yahaya Bello back into the Lugard House as Governor.

In as much as the above allegation spuriously emanates from a man who has been serially arrested and prosecuted and is currently undergoing criminal proceedings in different ramifications over his habitual crimes of injurious falsehood,malicious publications and treacherous tendencies against individuals and the state,we however,deem imperative to put as follows:

1. That the Hon. Minister of the Federal Republic,Senator(Dr) George Akume is a great party leader and a proud member of the All Progressives Congress(APC) who holds the rational values of democracy in high esteem.

2. With reference to the Kogi State Governorship Elections,we wish to categorically and unequivocally state that the Hon. Minister,Senator (Dr) George Akume has never had any prior personal or official interactions with officials of Kogi State INEC over the conduct of the governorship election, as he, Senator George Akume is not the National Chairman of Independent Electoral Commision. Neither is the Hon. Minister under any authority to direct the Resident Electoral Commissioner as to who should win or lose the November 16th Governorship Election in Kogi State.

3. For purposes of specificity,we wish to notify all unsuspecting members of the public that the Honourable Minister,Senator(Dr) George Akume was in Kogi State alongside many other APC State Governors and major stakeholders/stalwarts to give their solidarity to the party and not to direct the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner on issues that are undemocratic and alien to his practice of democratic rule.

4. We may wish to call on Mr. Usman Okai Austin to furnish the public with proof(s)and evidence(s) bearing on his callous and dastardly naive imagination against the person and integrity of Distinguished Senator(Dr) George Akume within a week of this rejoinder,else we may be forced to institute legal actions against him to compel him to do so.

5. For the avoidance of doubts,we wish to further bring to the attention of the public,that as of the time of this rejoinder,the Hon. Minister,Senator George Akume does not have the phone number or any personal or official relationship with the Resident Electoral Commissioner of Kogi State. To this extent,for Mr. Usman Okai Austin to conjure and conceive such an evil machination against the name of Hon. Minister truly justifies why multiple arrests, detentions and prosecution by Nigerian citizens against him have taken sway in his lifetime.

6. In line with the above,we urge all well meaning Nigerians to disregard the above malicious publication and all what Mr. Usman Okai Austin stands for.