The Nigerian Senate has refuted claims of a disagreement between Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, describing the reports as entirely false and misleading.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Publicity, said media reports suggesting a clash during a recent executive session were based on misinterpretations of routine parliamentary proceedings.
“There is no iota of truth in the claims. In entirety, they misconstrue time-tested practices and traditions in the parliament worldwide,” Adaramodu stated, adding that it is common in legislative chambers globally for members to engage in robust debates on matters of national interest.
The statement clarified that the reported disagreement arose during a closed-door session held to deliberate on whether the Senate should proceed on its annual recess. However, Adaramodu explained that such sessions are standard practice and serve as avenues for members to debate issues openly and decisively, irrespective of party affiliations.
“As our country’s highest law-making institution, the Senate, like other parliaments, subjects every bill, motion and proposal to intense scrutiny,” he said. “This entails robust debates to which members discuss and dissect every initiative before the Senate purely in the interest of over 230 million Nigerians.”
Adaramodu emphasised that spirited discussions on the floor or in committee rooms should not be mistaken for internal conflict or leadership cracks. “Debates on policy issues should not be misconstrued as altercations among members, neither do they suggest any crack in the rank of the leadership,” he concluded.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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