The controversy over Mrs Ekaette Unoma Akpabio’s visit to the National Assembly has been reframed as a facilities-inspection exercise, with a senior aide to Senate President Godswill Akpabio insisting that the visit was authorised and had nothing to do with bypassing Senate security.

In a rejoinder issued Saturday, Special Adviser to the President of the Senate on Diaspora and NGOs, Dr Jibril Lawal Tafida, said Mrs Akpabio visited the complex at the instance of her husband to inspect malfunctioning equipment and other facilities in the Senate Chamber.

Tafida explained that the Senate President had received complaints from lawmakers and staff about faulty installations and the quality of work executed under some contracts, prompting the need for an on-site assessment. He said the exercise was deliberately conducted on a Saturday because the chamber was not in session.

The aide also rejected claims that Mrs Akpabio arrived with “marabouts” or unauthorised persons, saying those involved in the inspection were technical professionals. “Those present were professionals and technical specialists, including electrical engineers, ICT experts, audio-visual technicians and building maintenance personnel,” he said.

Tafida maintained that the inspection was conducted with the knowledge of relevant National Assembly officials and did not violate established security procedures. He described reports suggesting otherwise as “misinformation and speculative journalism,” urging the public to disregard what he said were misleading accounts of the visit.

He further appealed to media organisations, including Naijanewsdirect, which published the report that triggered the controversy, to verify information before publication. “The Senate President remains focused on the business of legislation and governance and will not be distracted by unfounded attacks,” Tafida said, insisting that the visit should be understood as an administrative inspection rather than a security breach.