The Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) has given reasons it appointed Senator Elisha Abbo who was spotted in a viral video, assaulting a nursing mother in a sex toy shop as patron of the association.
The Adamawa lawmaker who was spotted in a viral video last year assaulting a nursing mother was appointed as the Patron of the Actors Guild of Nigeria on Monday.
The lawmaker’s appointment stirred controversy on social media as female members of the association reacted bitterly.
Popular actress, Kate Henshaw had on her Twitter page said the lawmaker was not worthy to be a patron of the AGN.
She stated that there are women in the guild, and they don’t want to be slapped.
But reacting, the AGN Adamawa State chapter Chairman, Jimmy Lot said the uproar was a campaign to smear Senator Ishaku Abbo.
Speaking to DAILY POST, he said that the lawmaker was appointed because of his tremendous work and contribution to the creative sector in the North East.
”Senator Abbo was recommended based on his performance and support to actors and youths in the North East.
”He has Spearheaded major developmental projects which include, North East Development Commission which we were made to understand that there are provisions to empower the youths in skill developments.
”A young man that came up to set a standard that has never been set before. After contesting for the senate, he won his election, they went ahead to sponsor that rubbish. We have never seen any politician that offended anybody in this country, come up on national media and apologize to Nigerians and the family of the victim.
”Those people raising issues, do they think that there are no women in the North or in Adamawa that can fight the Senator. We the Adamawa chapter recommended him because of his performance to his constituency. We believe he can do well to other constituencies, so based on his performance we rated him and recommended him to the national AGN.
Jimmy while accusing the lawmaker’s political opponents of sponsoring the ‘assault video campaigns maintained that Senator Abbo is innocent until proven otherwise by the court.
”What I want to tell Nigeria is this, in this country we have seen the worst and nobody has talked about it. We shouldn’t use the assault case to create mountains. We the AGN North East members have decided that this is our choice, and we feel this Nollywood industry is not a South East or South-South affair. The selection or the choice of the North should be respected and not to be rubbished.
”The youths in the North East see him as an Icon and are proud of him, because it takes humility and repentance to come up on National Media space and apologize. After all, to err is human and forgiveness is divine.
”Where were our senior colleagues who were paid to smear the image of our Patron when Boko Haram destroyed the creative industry in the North East. How many of them even called us to find out if we are alive. Every professional organization supported their members in the North East over the crises. How many of our stars organized any welfare program in our support.
”They will rather come to our Governors, collect money and disappear without recourse to the plight of their colleagues.”
