The National Assembly New Media Forum (NANMF), a body of accredited online journalists covering the National Assembly, has condemned media reports that sensationalized a verbal slip made by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during Wednesday’s plenary.
The reports quoted Akpabio as saying: “Nigeria is proud of the way Tinubu was honored and buried,” a statement he immediately corrected during the same session.
NANMF Chairman, Clement Nwabuko, expressed disappointment over what he described as a deliberate attempt by some media outlets to turn a harmless mistake into headline news. According to him, such editorial choices reflect poorly on the professionalism of those outlets and deviate from the core ethics of responsible journalism.
“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 motive behind the coverage: “Everyone knew it was former President Muhammadu Buhari who passed away, not President Tinubu. So why harp on the error? Is Akpabio not human? Is he beyond making mistakes? It seems to us that some outlets were simply out to score cheap points against him.”
The NANMF Chairman further warned that amplifying such trivial issues not only risks misleading the public but also disrespects the institution of the Senate and its leadership.
“By blowing the incident out of proportion, those reports helped create unnecessary national embarrassment and ridicule for the office of the Senate President. We at the National Assembly New Media Forum find such reportage unprofessional, distasteful, and condemn it in its entirety,” he said.
Nwabuko also urged media practitioners, especially analogue-era journalists, to embrace a more serious and professional approach to news sourcing, especially in an era where verified X (formerly Twitter) handles of public figures, government agencies, and institutions offer a wealth of credible, substantive stories.
“There is no shortage of real news. So why chase clout with a mistake that was clearly corrected? It’s time we focus on impactful journalism that serves the nation and informs the people,” he concluded.
