The National Assembly New Media Forum (NANMF), a body of accredited online journalists covering the National Assembly, has strongly condemned what it described as sensational and misleading reports that misrepresented a verbal slip made by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during Wednesday’s plenary.
Akpabio was quoted as saying, “Nigeria is proud of the way Tinubu was honored and buried” a statement he immediately corrected on the Senate floor.
In a statement signed by the Forum’s Chairman, Clement Nwabuko, NANMF expressed disappointment over what it called a deliberate effort by some media outlets to exaggerate a harmless mistake into a misleading headline.
“It was a simple slip of the tongue, something that can happen to anyone. Senator Akpabio corrected himself immediately. So why make it a headline? That’s not journalism at its best,” Nwabuko stated.
He questioned the editorial motives behind the coverage, emphasized that the public is fully aware that it was former President Muhammadu Buhari who passed away not President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“Is Senator Akpabio not human? Is he beyond making a verbal error? It seems some outlets are more interested in stirring controversy than informing the public responsibly,” he said.
Nwabuko further cautioned that amplifying such trivial moments risks misleading citizens and undermining the integrity of the National Assembly and its leadership.
“By blowing the incident out of proportion, those reports created unnecessary embarrassment and ridicule for the office of the Senate President. We at NANMF find such reportage unprofessional, distasteful, and condemn it in its entirety,” he said.
He also urged fellow media practitioners especially those from the analogue era to adapt to the standards of modern journalism by leveraging verified sources, including official X (formerly Twitter) handles of public officials and institutions.
“There’s no shortage of real, impactful news. Why chase clout over a corrected slip? It’s time for a renewed focus on journalism that informs, educates, and upholds national values,” Nwabuko concluded.
