Senator representing Bayelsa West Senatorial district, Ben Murray Bruce has apologised to the Senate during Wednesday’s plenary for speaking on the aspect of insecurity that was discussed behind closed doors last week Tuesday.
Raising through order 14 of Senate rules, Kabir Marafa representing Zamfara Central Senatorial district said, Ben Bruce’s mention of security situation in Zamfara which he tabled at executive session of the Senate has put him in bad light.
He also added that the Senate was also put in public opium over the issue, saying that he watched the video clip which went viral, only for him to realise that damage has been done.
He asked Ben Bruce to apologise to him and to the Senate.
“Mr. President, I want to crave your indulgence and the indulgence of the Senate to demand for an apology for me and the Senate from distinguished Ben Murray Bruce.”
“In his submission last week on the state of insecurity in the country, he made reference to one of our closed door session contrary to the rules and provisions of the senate.”
“In doing so, he said things he had no knowledge on.”
“First day, we discussed the issues of Benue state we had a closed-door session in which we discussed the issues of insecurity generally and members were allowed to make contributions and after that members were asked to make their contributions.”
“That, then, I was called upon and I made my contribution and all I said even more than what I said in the executive session. But during his contribution, he made remarks that were things I said in the executive session and that infringed on my personality and the video went viral suggesting that I shied away from my responsibility.”
“They cast me in a very bad light in the public and it cast the Senate in a bad light, because talking about issues discussed in the executive is very wrong.”
“I want the distinguished Senator to clarify the air. So I urge my very good friend Ben Murray Bruce to tender an apology to me and this Senate and desist from making reference to executive session.”
“I think it is very wrong.”
Responding, Bruce said, he has always been assisting in fight against terrorism in Zamfara, adding that he got carried away.
“Marafa, I hereby apologise to you my friend. You are a good man. What I said was very very important to this country and I always support you in fighting those terrorists in your area.”
“Things we said in private should not be said in public, but I was carried away by emotions of the time.”
“What I said was right and referring to a closed door session was wrong. I sincerely apologise.”
Marafa was feeling worried barely a week after the discussion took place on the floor of the Senate
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