The Senate President’s aide, Dr Jibril Tafida, has defended Mrs Ekaette Akpabio’s visit to the Senate chamber, rejecting an online report that alleged she had unauthorized or inappropriate access to the chamber.

Tafida said Mrs Akpabio visited the National Assembly with engineers and technicians to inspect faulty facilities and equipment, insisting that the visit did not breach any security procedure.

Key Takeaways

• Mrs Ekaette Akpabio visited the National Assembly on Saturday, according to the report.
• Tafida said the purpose of the visit was to inspect faulty facilities and equipment.
• He said engineers and technicians accompanied her.
• Tafida maintained that relevant National Assembly officials were aware of the visit.
• He said Saturday was chosen to avoid disrupting plenary and other legislative activities.
• The aide rejected allegations that Mrs Akpabio gained inappropriate or unauthorized access to the Senate chamber.
• Tafida maintained that no security procedure was breached.
• The disputed allegations and Tafida’s defence should be understood as separate accounts; the supplied material does not independently verify the competing claims.

What Happened During Mrs Akpabio’s Senate Visit?

According to Tafida, Special Adviser to the President of the Senate on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations, Mrs Akpabio visited the National Assembly on Saturday to inspect some faulty equipment and facilities in the Senate chamber.

He said the inspection followed complaints from senators and staff about poor facilities and what he described as shoddy work allegedly carried out by contractors.

Tafida maintained that the inspection was undertaken at the instance of Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

He also said Saturday was deliberately chosen for the visit so that it would not interfere with plenary or other legislative activities.

Who Is Involved In The Dispute?

The main figures in the controversy are Mrs Ekaette Akpabio, Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Dr Jibril Tafida.

Mrs Akpabio is the Senate President’s wife whose visit to the chamber became the subject of the disputed report.

Tafida, who serves as a Special Adviser to the Senate President on Diaspora and NGOs, issued the statement defending the visit and explaining the reason for it.

Godswill Akpabio is the President of the Senate and, according to Tafida, was behind the decision for the inspection to take place.

What Did Akpabio’s Aide Say About The Visit?

Tafida rejected the allegation that Mrs Akpabio had “unholy access” to the Senate chamber.

He said the people who accompanied her were not persons of questionable character, as allegedly claimed in the report.

According to him, they were engineers and technicians with expertise in areas including electrical works, information and communication technology, audio-visual systems and building maintenance.

Tafida further maintained that relevant National Assembly officials were aware of the visit.

Tafida Rejects Claims Of A Security Breach

A major part of the aide’s defence centred on security procedures at the National Assembly.

Tafida said no security procedure was breached during Mrs Akpabio’s visit.

His position directly contradicts the account presented in the online report, which prompted his response.

He described the report as misinformation and speculative journalism, arguing that it had created controversy around what he said was an inspection of faulty facilities.

What Is Confirmed About The Senate Visit?

The supplied report establishes that Mrs Akpabio visited the National Assembly on Saturday and that Tafida subsequently issued a statement explaining the purpose of the visit.

Tafida’s account is that the visit was an inspection of faulty facilities involving technical personnel and that relevant officials were aware of it.

His further assertion is that no security protocol was breached.

However, the competing allegations should remain attributed to the respective accounts. The material available does not independently establish the disputed security claims beyond what has been reported and what Tafida said in response.

Why Was The Inspection Carried Out?

Tafida said the inspection followed complaints from senators and National Assembly staff about poor facilities.

He also alleged that some contractors had carried out shoddy work, prompting the need to inspect the affected facilities and equipment.

The aide said the decision to conduct the inspection on a Saturday was intended to prevent the exercise from disrupting legislative activities.

Tafida Calls For The Report To Be Disregarded

The Senate President’s aide urged members of the public to disregard the report that prompted his statement.

He also called on Naijanewsdirect and other media platforms to verify information before publishing reports involving public officers and their families.

Tafida described Mrs Akpabio as a woman known for philanthropy and integrity.

He added that the Senate President remained focused on his legislative responsibilities and would not be distracted by what he described as unfounded allegations.

According to him, the National Assembly remained secure and properly managed.

What Happened After Tafida’s Statement?

According to Vanguard, Tafida declined to make further comments when contacted, beyond the statement he had already issued.

He nevertheless maintained that the Senate President’s office would not tolerate what he described as reckless journalism targeted at the family.

The development therefore remains centred on competing accounts of the circumstances surrounding Mrs Akpabio’s visit, with Tafida firmly rejecting the allegations contained in the original report.

The central issue is therefore not simply that Mrs Akpabio visited the Senate chamber, but how that visit was characterized and the subsequent defence from the Senate President’s office.