The Office of the Senate Leader has strongly refuted claims of an altercation between the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, and Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, as alleged in a post by Jackson Ude on the X platform (formerly Twitter).
In a statement issued by the Directorate of Media and Public Affairs, the report was dismissed as a fabrication by a known purveyor of falsehoods, accusing Ude of abandoning journalistic ethics in favor of baseless rumors aimed at creating discord within the Senate.
The allegations suggested that Senators Akpabio and Bamidele were involved in a physical confrontation on Tuesday in the Senate Cafeteria, purportedly stemming from leadership disputes and alleged marginalization of the South West in key committee appointments.
However, the Senate Leader’s Office categorically denied any such incident, providing evidence to counter the claims.
The Senate Leader’s Office reaffirmed Senator Bamidele’s unblemished record of non-violence throughout his political career, including his tenure as the President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).
The statement explained that shortly after the alleged incident, Senators Akpabio and Bamidele, alongside other principal officers, jointly hosted the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. YU Dunhai, and his delegation. Photographs from this meeting, widely published in national newspapers, were cited as proof of their cordial relationship.
Explaining further the statement indicated that both Senators reportedly left the National Assembly premises together in the same vehicle, further underscoring the lack of animosity between them.
The statement quoted Senator Bamidele to have warned against defamatory publications, emphasizing his readiness to invoke the Cybercrime Act of 2015 and other legal measures to protect his reputation and office.
The Senate Leader’s Office urged the public to disregard the misinformation, describing it as a calculated attempt to destabilize the Senate and disrupt national politics.
The statement reiterated Senator Bamidele’s commitment to his duties and called for respect for the integrity of the Senate as an institution.