Senate didn’t embarrass Senator Sani over ‘harmonised’ definition — Akpabio

 

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has debunked reports suggesting that the upper legislative chamber embarrassed Senator Sani Musa (APC, Niger East) during a recent plenary session.

 

In a statement he personally signed on Friday in Abuja and titled “Clarification on Misleading Reports Regarding Senate Proceedings,” Akpabio described the online claims as false and misleading.

 

“My attention has been drawn to reports circulating on social media and blogs, especially Linda Ikeji’s Blog, alleging that Senator Sani Musa was ‘rubbished’ on the Senate floor for allegedly failing to define the word ‘harmonised.’

 

“This is completely untrue,” the Senate President said.

 

According to him, the incident being referenced was misrepresented and taken out of context.

He explained that when Senator Musa was called upon, Senator Abdul Ningi had raised a point of order that required immediate procedural attention in line with Senate rules.

 

“The session continued without any breach of decorum. Senator Musa was neither embarrassed nor unable to respond,” he clarified.

 

Akpabio further praised Musa’s contributions to the Senate, noting his leadership as Chairman of the Joint Committee on Finance and the Conference Committee that successfully harmonized the Tax Reform Bills — a legislative milestone acknowledged by both chambers and stakeholders.

 

“The Nigerian Senate operates on principles of respect, order, and integrity. While we welcome public engagement, we urge all media platforms to ensure their commentary is rooted in facts and not sensationalism,” he added.

 

The Senate President concluded by calling on media outlets to adhere to the ethics of responsible journalism in their coverage of National Assembly proceedings.