The Office of the Senate President has dismissed reports surrounding a recent visit by Mrs Ekaette Unoma Akpabio, wife of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, to the National Assembly Chamber.
The visit had created controversy after reports claimed that Mrs Akpabio accessed the chamber on a Saturday with individuals described as marabouts and spiritualists.
The reports raised questions online about why the Senate President’s wife visited the chamber outside regular legislative activities and the purpose of the visit.
However, the Senate President’s Special Adviser on Diaspora and Non-governmental Organizations, Dr Jibril Lawal Tafida, has described the reports as misinformation.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Tafida said Mrs Akpabio’s visit was strictly administrative and was carried out to inspect some facilities and equipment in the chamber.
According to him, the Senate President had received several complaints from senators and staff about malfunctioning facilities and the poor execution of some contractual works.
He said the Senate President therefore directed his wife to personally observe the situation and assess the areas requiring attention.
Tafida also rejected claims that Mrs Akpabio visited the complex with marabouts or spiritualists.
He explained that those who accompanied her were professionals engaged for the inspection, including electrical engineers, ICT and audio-visual technicians, as well as building maintenance specialists.
He added that the visit was carried out with the knowledge and authorisation of relevant officials and did not constitute any breach of security protocols.
On why the inspection was conducted on a Saturday, Tafida said such administrative checks were better done when the chamber was not in session to avoid interfering with legislative proceedings.
He urged Nigerians to disregard the reports, describing them as an attempt to create controversy where none existed.
Tafida further expressed confidence in the security arrangements and administrative procedures of the National Assembly, describing the institution as one of the most secure and well-managed democratic institutions in Africa.
The controversy followed reports that Mrs Akpabio had visited the Senate Chamber with persons said to be marabouts and spiritualists, a claim the Senate President’s office has now firmly denied.
