President Donald Trump\u2019s recent threat of possible military action against Nigeria over alleged persecution of Christians stirred debate in the Senate on Tuesday, eliciting contrasting views between Senate President Godswill Akpabio and his deputy, Barau Jibrin.<\/p>\n
While Akpabio distanced himself from a viral report claiming he had responded to Trump\u2019s comments, saying, \u201cWho am I to reply Trump?\u201d, his deputy took a more defiant stance.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not scared of Trump. I will say my mind. I\u2019m a Nigerian. Nigeria is a sovereign nation. I\u2019m a parliamentarian. I\u2019m the Deputy Senate President, I can speak. Don\u2019t be scared of Trump. We are a sovereign nation,\u201d Jibrin declared.<\/p>\n
The exchange followed Akpabio\u2019s clarification on a report by an online platform, RANT HQ, which alleged that he had rebuffed Trump\u2019s remarks and defended Nigeria\u2019s image. The Senate President denounced the report as fake and malicious, describing it as an attempt to cause disaffection and discredit the institution of the Senate.<\/p>\n
\u201cSomebody will sit in the comfort of his room, produce a report and fake pictures from 2023 when the Senate President and Senators visited Port Harcourt for a different event, and then claim I replied President Trump. Who am I to answer Trump?\u201d Akpabio said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat the Senate President said Nigerians are not complaining, how can someone just fabricate such a story?\u201d<\/p>\n
Akpabio told his colleagues that he had petitioned the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Police to investigate the source of the publication, insisting that the Senate had not yet taken any position on Trump\u2019s statement.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve petitioned the police and the DSS. It is the Presidency that will respond to President Trump. All Nigerians are doing their best in that direction. But who would ascribe a comment to the Senate President when no such conversation took place? It is meant to cause friction and put the Senate in disrepute,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He further warned against the dangers of misinformation on social media, stressing that freedom of expression must not be abused to destabilise the nation.<\/p>\n
\u201cSocial media should not break Nigeria,\u201d Akpabio cautioned, adding that he had directed his lawyers to petition the blogger involved in the report.<\/p>\n
The Senate President also noted that the upper chamber would only make a formal statement on Trump\u2019s threat once the Federal Government\u2019s position becomes clear.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Senate is yet to take any position until we know the direction of the government,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
President Donald Trump\u2019s recent threat of possible military action against Nigeria over alleged persecution of Christians stirred debate in the Senate on Tuesday, eliciting contrasting views between Senate President Godswill Akpabio and his deputy, Barau Jibrin. While Akpabio distanced himself from a viral report claiming he had responded to Trump\u2019s comments, saying, \u201cWho am I…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":912,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[18,130,19,129],"class_list":["post-911","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-national-assembly","tag-akpabio","tag-cpc-blacklist","tag-senate","tag-trump"],"yoast_head":"\n