Lawan warns Senators against talking to press

Senate President, Senator Ahmad Lawan on Wednesday warned against talking to the press in order to prevent creating wrong impression in the public.

Lawan who made this known during the plenary session advised the lawmakers  to discuss among their colleagues if they felt dissatisfied with what is happening either within the country or in the chamber.

Lawan’s advice came following

 complaints of the Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, who faulted the interview granted by the Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe, on Channels Television .

Omo-Agege had  claimed under a point of order that Abaribe in the interview alleged that the All Progressives Congress senators conspired to shortchange the host communities when the Senate passed the Petroleum Industry Bill.

He  clarified that there was no time the APC senators conspired to reduce the five per cent equity share approved for the host communities in the joint committee’s report to three per cent.

Reacting, the Senate President said members of the 9th Senate do not vote along party lines.

In his words, “When the Senate takes a  decision, we should inform the public correctly because it is our duty to give the correct information to the public.

“I will encourage us to talk less to the press on ways that will give the press a wrong impression.

 “We should concentrate more on talking to our colleagues in the Senate.

“I would have loved to give the Minority Leader an opportunity to speak but this is a matter of privilege. I hope all of you have learnt a lesson or two from this.

“There is no point giving wrong information because we never vote along party lines.”