Senate President Godswill Akpabio has dismissed reports claiming that the Senate embarrassed Senator Sani Musa (APC, Niger East) during a recent plenary session.
In a personally signed statement released on Friday in Abuja and titled “Clarification on Misleading Reports Regarding Senate Proceedings,” Akpabio described the circulating reports as “false and misleading.”
False Claims on Social Media
Akpabio was reacting to a viral report—particularly one published by Linda Ikeji’s Blog—alleging that Senator Musa was ridiculed on the Senate floor for being unable to define the word “harmonised.”
“This is completely untrue,” Akpabio stated.
He explained that the incident in question was taken out of context and misrepresented online.
Clarifying the Incident
The Senate President noted that during the session, Senator Musa was invited to speak when Senator Abdul Ningi raised a point of order requiring immediate procedural attention, in accordance with Senate rules.
“There was no disruption of decorum, and at no point was Senator Musa embarrassed or unable to respond,” Akpabio clarified.
Praise for Senator Musa’s Contributions
Akpabio went further to commend Senator Musa for his legislative performance, especially his role as Chairman of the Joint Committee on Finance and the Conference Committee that successfully harmonised the Tax Reform Bills—an achievement widely acknowledged by both chambers and key stakeholders.
Call for Responsible Reporting
Reaffirming the Senate’s commitment to order and respect, Akpabio urged media outlets to uphold journalistic integrity in their coverage of the National Assembly.
“The Nigerian Senate operates on principles of respect, order, and integrity,” he said. “While we welcome public scrutiny, we urge all media platforms to report based on verified facts, not sensationalism.”
