Akpabio, who was making reference to a report by a social
media platform, RANT HQ, alleging that he rebuffed Trump on Nigeria’s
classification as a Country of Particular Concern, CPC, at the end of plenary,
said he never attacked the American President, and that he could only convey
the collective resolution of the Senate on the matter.

The platform had quoted the Senate President as saying, “The
killing is taking place in Nigeria not in the USA, Trump should focus on US.
Nigerians are not complaining about the killings, we are fully satisfied with
the condition of Nigeria.”

“Who am I to answer Trump,” Akpabio said, Barau quickly
responded by saying “I’m not scared of Trump. I will say my mind. I’m a
Nigerian. Nigeria is a sovereign nation. I’m a parliamentarian.”

Barau went further: “I’m the Deputy Senate President, I can
speak. I’m not scared of Trump. Don’t be scared of Trump. You can say your mind
about Trump. We are a sovereign nation.”

Akpabio immediately directed the Clerk of the Senate,
Emmanuel Odo to delete the position of Barau from the day’s proceedings,
pointing out that it doesn’t represents the views of the upper legislative
chamber.

The divergence of opinion between the duo on Trump’s threat
and tirade against Nigeria came to the fore when Akpabio was debunking the
quotes credited to him by Rant HQ, over the killings in Nigeria, describing it
as a “malicious and completely fabricated post.”

“Somebody will sit in the comfort of his room and produce a
report and fake pictures of 2023 when the Senate President with Senators
visited Port Harcourt on a very different thing and say, oh, Senate President
answers President Trump, who am I to answer President Trump?

“That the Senate President said that Nigerians are not
complaining, that we like the way we are living. That Nigerians are not
complaining.

“I’ve petitioned the police. I’ve also petitioned the DSS.
It is the presidency that will answer President Trump. And all Nigerians are
doing their best in that direction. But who is that person that will go and
ascribe a comment to the Senate President when he was never met?

“So I believe the Cybercrimes Unit of the Police, the DSS
and others, should find that character out, because it is meant to cause
friction. It is meant to cause friction and put the Nigerian Senate in
disrepute.

“Social media should not break Nigeria,” Akpabio stressed.

He, however, said that the Senate would respond when the
direction of the executive is known.