Former Akwa Ibom North-East senator Effiong Dickson Bob has defended his decision to petition police against Ewa Okpo, a legal practitioner known as 'Street Lawyer'. At a press conference on Wednesday, Bob insisted he simply exercised his constitutional rights.
The dispute began when Okpo released a video accusing Bob of promoting "stomach infrastructure politics" and described him as the godfather of "political craftiness". Bob took offence and reported the matter to police.
"I have the right to report to the police. When I report, I didn't tell the police to go and arrest somebody.
What the police do is left to them. My duty is to report by way of petition.
I will not engage in a street fight because that is against the law," Bob said.
According to Bob, Okpo's attack stemmed from his public defence of governor Umo Eno. He noted that his comments were rooted in principle and reflected his responsibilities as a political leader representing the governor's senatorial district.
Bob argued that public debate should centre on governance, verifiable facts and policy matters. He said people shouldn't target the private lives of public officials or their families.
"My position was, and still is, nobody should attack the governor in his personal capacity. If government is not performing the way you like, you can criticize, but the criticism should be constructive and responsive to issues," he said.
Despite not naming Okpo in his public statements, Bob claimed the lawyer singled him out for attacks on Facebook and other social media platforms. He said these online posts sought to damage his reputation and subjected him to personal abuse.
Bob maintained that the publications made unfounded allegations about his private affairs and businesses. He challenged his critics to engage substantively with policy matters rather than pursuing personal attacks.
The Akwa Ibom politician stressed that public discourse should remain focused on governance and measurable outcomes. He called for civility in political debate and respect for the boundaries between professional criticism and personal attacks.
