•Red Chamber denies approving creation of 12 new states, decries fake news
The Senate has said it will hold a special session today in honour of the late President Muhammadu Buhari.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced this at plenary yesterday in Abuja.
Akpabio said the tribute session would reflect on the late President’s legacy and contributions to national development.
Last week, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) held a special session in honour of the late President.
During the special FEC session last Thursday, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu said his predecessor led the country with restraint, governed with dignity, and bore the burdens of leadership without complaint.
Buhari died in a London hospital on July 13 where he was receiving medical attention. He was 82.
The former President was buried last week in Daura, Katsina State, in a ceremony attended by dignitaries from within and outside Nigeria.
Buhari was President between 2015 and 2023. The retired Army General was also the Head of State between 1983 and 1985.
Also, the Senate has denied reports alleging that it had approved the creation of 12 new states.
The resolution of the Senate followed a motion raised by Senator Abdul Ningi, drawing the attention of the Red Chamber to the “fake news”.
Ningi, a member of the Senate Committee on Constitutional Review, spoke under Order 42 during yesterday’s plenary. He made efforts to clarify what he called a “fake, toxic, and irresponsible” narrative circulating online.
“Mr. President, I rise on the indulgence of the Senate and your leave, pursuant to Order 42, to make a personal explanation.
“Over the past week, social media has been awash with claims that the Constitution Review Committee has submitted a proposal for the creation of 12 states,” Ningi said.
The Bauchi Central senator clarified that as a member of the main Constitutional Review Committee and the Zonal Public Hearing held in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, no such report had been submitted.
He added: “Our report from the zonal public hearing in Maiduguri has not even been submitted to the main committee.
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“I have also contacted other zonal leaders and confirmed that no such reports have been tabled or forwarded. This story is baseless.”.
Ningi urged the public to disregard the misinformation and cautioned against the spread of unverified reports capable of misleading citizens and creating unnecessary tension.
Commenting on the development, Akpabio faulted the rising trend of misinformation and manipulation on social media.
The Senate President warned that unchecked misuse of digital platforms by Nigerians could destabilize the country.
“In my view, social media is garbage in, garbage out. I just hope that the way Africans use social media will not break our society. That is my only hope,” he said.
Akpabio shared an example of how fake news has impacted governance and appointments.
“You’ll see where even the appointments we make are manipulated. People will fake letter-headed papers and write that a nominee has rejected an appointment.
“Then they start lobbying for the same position, while the original nominee isn’t even aware of the false rejection,” he said.
Akpabio emphasised that the Senate had not concluded any constitutional amendment process, especially on state creation.
“It’s important that the public know that the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has not even concluded the process of getting a final report for deliberation on constitutional amendment.
“Therefore, no single state proposed or otherwise has been created,” he said.