Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin were at odds over how to respond to the threat.

Akpabio was reacting to social media reports, quoting him to have said Nigeria could resolve its problems without foreign interference.

However, he clarified that he never made such a statement and instead asked, “Who am I to answer Trump?”

This response did not sit well with Jibrin, who countered, “I’m not scared of Trump. I’m a Nigerian, and Nigeria is a sovereign nation. I can speak my mind.”

The debate escalated when Akpabio retorted, “Don’t allow people to ascribe what you did not say to you.” Jibrin shot back, “You didn’t say it, that’s correct. You shouldn’t be scared of saying it.”

Akpabio emphasised that he would not be swayed by fabricated quotes and fake news, citing a previous incident where false reports were made about him and senators visiting Port Harcourt.

Akpabio maintained that the Senate had not discussed Trump’s comment in chambers and would only respond officially after deliberating on the matter.

According to Akpabio, “the Senate has not discussed the comment of President Trump in chambers yet. We will surely do, and it is only then that the Senate President can make a comment….”

He urged the Cybercrimes unit of the police and the DSS to investigate the individual spreading false information, which he believed was intended to cause friction and damage the Senate’s reputation.

The Senate’s response to Trump’s threat remained uncertain as of press time, but one thing is clear – the debate has sparked a heated discussion about national sovereignty and the role of the Senate in addressing international concerns.