Earlier in the week, several contractors besieged and barricaded the entrance of the National Assembly complex in Abuja, demanding immediate payment for completed government projects. The protest disrupted access to the building, delayed plenary sessions, and created tension among lawmakers and staff.
During Tuesday’s plenary, Senate President Godswill Akpabio revealed that the upper chamber had already approved part of the domestic borrowing plan to enable the Federal Government to clear the backlog of payments.
“We have just approved domestic borrowing to settle the indebtedness of contractors. I appeal for calm and urge them to give the Federal Government time to resolve the issue,” Akpabio said.
In a separate development, the Senate also announced plans to deliberate on recent statements allegedly made by former U.S. President Donald Trump, who reportedly claimed that a “Christian genocide” was occurring in Nigeria.
Akpabio distanced himself from the remarks, clarifying that he never responded to Trump on any matter and that the false report was the handiwork of a blogger. He disclosed that he had already petitioned the police and the Department of State Services (DSS) over the incident and initiated legal action against the individual responsible.
“Who am I to respond to President Trump?” Akpabio rhetorically asked, emphasizing that the issue carried sensitive diplomatic implications.
The Senate President also called for restraint in public commentary, urging Nigerians and the media to avoid spreading misinformation capable of causing disunity or tension. He directed the Cybercrime Unit to identify and prosecute those behind fake news targeting the Senate and its leadership.
Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, in a lighthearted remark, asked Akpabio whether he was afraid of Trump, reminding the chamber that Nigeria remains a sovereign nation.
Akpabio, however, reaffirmed that peace and national cohesion must guide all discussions about Nigeria’s challenges.
“Nigeria’s problems must be weighed from all sides. What we need is peace,” he said.
