"As a public figure and his wife is also an actress, it is not unusual for bloggers seeking attention to fabricate such stories..."
Delta North Senator Ned Nwoko has responded to the rumours linking him to actress Chika Ike's pregnancy.
On Monday, speculation was rife that the 64-year-old senator was responsible for Ike's pregnancy and was set to move into Mr Nwoko's mansion.
The gossip mill buzzed on Thursday after the actress announced on Instagram that she was expecting a baby.
Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Chika Ike (@chikaike)
Reacting to the rumours, Mr Nwoko denied the allegations in a statement posted on his X page on Monday and signed by his communications director.
The senator, who recently defected from the PDP to the APC, stated, "Our attention has been drawn to the recent false rumours alleging that Senator Prince Ned Munir Nwoko is planning to marry Nollywood actress Chika Ike as his seventh wife and that she is pregnant for him.
OFFICIAL STATEMENT FROM THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONSOur attention has been drawn to the recent false rumors alleging that Senator Prince Ned Munir Nwoko is planning to marry Nollywood actress Chika Ike as his seventh wife and that she is pregnant for him. We categorically... pic.twitter.com/dpprh7PhzW-- Senator (Dr.) Prince Ned Nwoko (@Prince_NedNwoko) February 17, 2025
"We categorically state that these claims are entirely baseless and a product of malicious speculation."
Enter 2Baba
The lawyer-turned-politician also denied ever commenting on the separation of Nigerian music star Innocent '2Baba' Idibia from his wife of 12 years, Annie Macaulay-Idibia.
This newspaper earlier reported that 2Baba announced his separation from Annie in January and recently proposed to Natasha Osawaru, the Deputy Majority Leader of the Edo State House of Assembly.
"Similarly, reports claiming he made statements about Tuface and polygamy are completely untrue", said Mr Nwoko's handlers.
The former member of the House of Representatives stated that he was currently on a national assignment, focused on fulfilling his political mandate, and had no time for distractions.
He said, "As a public figure and his wife, an actress, it is not unusual for bloggers seeking attention to fabricate such stories.
"This office remains available to journalists for verification of information, and we remind media practitioners of the consequences of spreading fake news. The public is advised to disregard these rumours and relies only on official statements from his office."
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
Regina Daniels
In what appeared to be a response to the rumours, the senator's actress wife, Regina Daniels, deactivated her Instagram account on Monday.
This newspaper reported that the lawmaker had praised Daniels since he married her on 26 May 2019 in Aniocha Local Government Area, Delta State.
On several occasions, Mr Nwoko has spoken highly of the actress, particularly for marrying her without being intimate with him
However, the 24-year-old stated that she met her husband during a family outing and maintained that she kept her virginity until marriage.
