Специальный советник сената Нигерии опроверг слухи о «недозволенном доступе» жены спикера в здание парламента

Dr. Jibril Lawal Tafida, Special Adviser to the President of the Senate on Diaspora and Non-governmental Organisations, has issued a rejoinder dismissing media reports suggesting that Mrs. Ekaette Unoma Akpabio, wife of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, had “unholy access” to the Senate Chamber. In a statement personally signed by Dr. Tafida, he described the allegations as a product of “misinformation” and “speculative journalism,” clarifying that the visit was purely administrative. According to the rejoinder, Mrs. Akpabio visited the National Assembly complex on a Saturday to personally observe and assess malfunctioning equipment and facilities within the chamber. This action, it was noted, was taken at the instance of the Senate President, who had received numerous complaints from Senators and staff regarding the poor state of some facilities and the shoddy execution of contractual works. Dr. Tafida strongly refuted claims that Mrs. Akpabio was accompanied by individuals described as “marabouts” or persons of questionable character. Instead, the individuals present were identified as duly engaged professionals and technical specialists, including electrical engineers, ICT and audio-visual system technicians, and building maintenance experts whose expertise was required for the inspection. The special adviser emphasised that the visit was conducted within the knowledge and authorization of relevant officials, and that there was no breach of security protocols. Regarding the timing of the visit—a Saturday—he noted that such administrative oversight is best carried out when the chamber is not in session to avoid disrupting legislative activities. Dr. Tafida urged the public to disregard the reports and treat them as an attempt to manufacture a controversy where none exists. He further called on Naijanewsdirect and other media platforms to verify their facts before publishing stories that impugn the character of public officers and their families. Describing Mrs. Akpabio as a woman of integrity known for her philanthropic works, Dr. Tafida insisted that the allegations were devoid of substance and designed to distract from the Senate’s genuine legislative work. He affirmed that the Senate President remains focused on delivering good governance to Nigerians and would not be deterred by what he described as unfounded attacks. The National Assembly, the statement concluded, remains one of the most secure and well-managed democratic institutions in Africa, expressing full confidence in its protocols and personnel. When contacted for further comments, Dr. Tafida declined to elaborate beyond the content of the statement, but reiterated that the office of the Senate President would not tolerate what he termed “reckless journalism” aimed at tarnishing the image of the Senate President’s family. Meanwhile, the online news platform Naijanewsdirect, which first published the report, was yet to respond to the rejoinder as of press time. The publication had earlier called for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Mrs. Akpabio’s visit, raising concerns over security breaches at the National Assembly complex. Political observers have noted that the controversy comes at a time when the Senate is deliberating on several critical legislative matters, including the 2026 appropriation bill and key constitutional amendment proposals. Some analysts have described the allegations as a potential distraction from the serious business of lawmaking.