THE President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio and his Deputy, Senator Jibrin Barau, APC, Kano North disagreed on President Donald Trump who has threatened Nigeria with potential military action, accusing the government of failing to protect Christians.
The mild drama reared its head when Akpabio complained to his colleagues about report on him by what he described as malicious and completely fabricated post published by a platform called Rant HQ, falsely attributing a reckless and imaginary statement to him.
The post — which reads, “The killing is taking place in Nigeria not in USA, Trump should focus on US. Nigerians are not complaining about the killings, we are fully satisfied with the condition of Nigeria” — is a total falsehood, a product of mischief, and a desperate attempt to incite misunderstanding between Senator Godswill Akpabio and U.S. President Donald Trump, as well as between Nigeria and its international partners.
According to him, he never made such a statement — not publicly, privately, in writing, or in conversation, saying, “who am I to answer President Trump”?
Akpabio who disclosed that the upper legislative chamber will discuss former US President Donald Trump’s recent comments on Nigeria in collaboration with the executive arm of government, said that the matter touches on foreign policy and diplomatic relations, and therefore requires a coordinated national response.
He said: “We have not discussed the issue of President Trump yet in the chambers. We shall do so in combination with the executive because we believe it is a matter of foreign policy and diplomatic relations.
“I have refrained from taking any motion on that yet until we know the direction of government and what government intends to do.”
Akpabio who noted that Trump’s position on Nigeria was not based on current realities but on an outdated report from 2010, said, “the position that President Trump is taking is not based on the current realities.
“The position is based on a purported 2010 report, 15 years ago, that they said some people came on fact-finding from the US Congress and they went to only Plateau and Benue; they did not go to Zamfara and other areas.”
According to the President of the Senate, insecurity in Nigeria affects both Christians and Muslims and should not be viewed as a religious conflict, adding, “If you go to a predominantly Muslim community, terrorists and bandits cause you to kill people — the majority of those who die there will be Muslims.
“When you enter a predominantly Christian community like Benue and Plateau and then you cause mayhem, the majority of those who will die there will be Christians.”
Akpabio said Nigeria’s diversity should be seen as a strength, not a division, noting that citizens of different faiths coexist peacefully, adding, “Nigeria’s problem needs to be weighed from all sides, and all we are looking for is peace.
“There is no Nigerian that doesn’t want to sleep with his two eyes closed, and there is no Nigerian that does not live with a Muslim or Christian in his house. Nigeria is multi-religious, multi-ethnic, and we live with one another.
“When people take issues out of Nigeria and misrepresent them to create the impression that Christians and Muslims are fighting, it is totally untrue.”
Soon after the President of the Senate rounded off, the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau said,
“Don’t be scared , I am not afraid of Trump , Nigeria is a sovereign nation, I am a parliamentarian , deputy senate president and I can speak on behalf of Nigeria and I am not afraid of Trump and don’t be afraid of Trump”