Nigeria Who Speaks for Nigeria? Akpabio and Deputy Clash Over Trump Threat

The Digest:

A public rift emerged in the Nigerian Senate as Senate President Godswill Akpabio and his deputy, Barau Jibrin, openly disagreed over who had the authority to respond to US President Donald Trump’s military threat, following a viral fake statement attributed to Akpabio.

Key Points:

• The drama began after Akpabio denied a viral blog report quoting a response to Trump.
• He stated he lacked the authority as Senate President to officially answer a US President.
• Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin challenged him, declaring he was "not scared of Trump."
• Jibrin asserted Nigeria's sovereignty and his right as a parliamentarian to speak.
• Akpabio maintained that only the Presidency has the constitutional mandate to respond.
• He revealed he had petitioned the Police and DSS to find the source of the fake report.
• The Senate President confirmed the chamber would formally discuss the threat at a later date.

This confrontation reveals the stormy intersection of national pride, constitutional procedure, and political authority, where the chain of command is tested in the face of external aggression

Sources: Premium Times