On 28 September, 2026. The President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has called on parliamentary journalists covering the National Assembly to adhere to the highest professional and ethical standards in their coverage of legislative affairs.
Speaking on Monday at the 2026 Capacity-Building Workshop organized by the Senate Press Corps, Senator Akpabio emphasized that accurate, high-quality parliamentary journalism is vital for sustaining Nigeria’s democratic processes. He was represented at the event by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Yemi Adaramodu.
Addressing the theme of the workshop, “Leveraging Legislative Oversight and Media Collaboration to Safeguard the National Budget from Unlawful Insertions”, the Senate President highlighted the complementary roles of the legislature and the press in protecting public resources and serving the Nigerian electorate.
“Parliament must guard the public purse, the press must illuminate the public record, and both must answer to the Nigerian people from whom all public authority comes,” Akpabio stated.
Akpabio urged reporters to develop a deep understanding of the Nigerian Constitution and parliamentary procedures to ensure thorough, fact-based reporting. He cautioned against sensationalism and unverified claims, noting that inaccuracies often harm public trust more than subsequent retractions can repair.
Acknowledging current economic challenges, the Senate President noted that patriotic journalism requires balancing constructive scrutiny of institutional failures with a commitment to factual integrity.
“We face real hardships and disagreements, and the public deserves facts that help us confront them,” he said. “Patriotism asks us both to tell the truth about our country and to care what happens to it.”
The workshop featured paper presentations on legislative oversight, budget transparency, and fiscal accountability by prominent public figures and civil society leaders, including:
Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning
Mr. Oluseun Onigbinde, Director of BudgIT
Mallam Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC)
Mr. Ikechukwu Chukwunyere, Publisher of Eagle Times Newspaper
The Senate Press Corps annual workshop serves as a key platform for enhancing the capacity of media professionals covering Nigeria’s upper legislative chamber.
