Senate President Godswill Akpabio told ministerial nominee Kingsley Udeh (SAN) on Thursday, the 6th of November, 2025, to avoid answering any question tied to the U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent remarks about Nigeria during his appearance on the Senate floor.
Udeh, picked by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to take over from Uche Nnaji, came before the lawmakers for screening. Nnaji stepped down as Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology last month after controversy over his academic records. His exit left Enugu State without a representative in the federal cabinet.
Before the screening kicked off, Akpabio signaled that the nominee should not get dragged into sensitive political conversations.
“The only question I will urge you to ignore is commenting on Trump,” he said, setting the tone for the session.
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After a short round of questions, Akpabio moved for his clearance and made a playful remark to the chamber: “Is it the will of the Senate that the nominee, being versatile and not responding to questions on Trump, should take a bow?”
Senators voiced their agreement, and the Senate President announced the outcome. “The ‘Ayes’ have it,” bringing Udeh’s confirmation to a close.
Trump’s comments accusing Nigerian authorities of overlooking the “systematic persecution” and “genocide” of Christians recently stirred heated exchanges in the Senate. On Tuesday, Akpabio again avoided the subject directly. When the topic came up, he simply told his colleagues, “Who am I to reply Trump?” sparking laughter across the chamber.