Senate President Godswill Akpabio, on Thursday, cautioned a ministerial nominee, Kingsley Udeh (SAN), against responding to any questions relating to former U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent remarks about Nigeria.
During Udeh’s screening before the Senate, Akpabio advised the nominee to avoid any comments on the issue, saying, “The only question I will urge you to ignore is commenting on Trump.” The Senate President then asked his colleagues whether the nominee should “take a bow,” a tradition often extended to senior professionals or distinguished nominees. The senators responded in the affirmative, and Udeh was cleared.
Kingsley Udeh, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, was nominated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to replace Uche Nnaji, who recently resigned as Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology.
The screening session came amid heightened attention to Donald Trump’s recent comments alleging “systematic persecution” and “genocide” against Christians in Nigeria — remarks that have drawn both local and international scrutiny.
Earlier in the week, while addressing the Senate, Akpabio had declined to engage publicly with Trump’s claims, saying, “Who am I to reply Trump?” His statement suggested that the Nigerian Senate would not be drawn into direct commentary on the former U.S. president’s position.
The decision to restrict any discussion of Trump’s remarks during Udeh’s screening was viewed as an attempt to maintain focus on the nominee’s credentials and to prevent the session from being diverted into foreign policy controversies.
Udeh’s nomination and confirmation mark part of the ongoing cabinet adjustments by President Tinubu aimed at strengthening ministerial performance and accountability across key sectors.
At the time of filing this report, neither the Presidency nor the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had issued an official response to Trump’s allegations.