By Daniel Edu

A mild drama took place on the Senate floor during the screening of Dele Alake, the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Special Duties, Communications, and Strategy. Alake, one of the President’s 28 ministerial nominees, faced questions related to Social Media, Culture, Tourism, and Information.

During the proceedings, Senator Simon Mwadikwon, the Minority Leader, praised Alake’s history as a pro-democracy activist during the military rule, but then challenged him to recite the second stanza of the national anthem.

Coming to Alake’s defense, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, the Majority Leader representing Ekiti Central Senatorial District, urged Senate President Godswill Akapabio to allow Alake to “take a bow and go,” which caused a brief commotion in the Senate chamber. Eventually, Akpabio intervened and shielded Alake from reciting the national anthem.

In the end, the Senate President requested Alake to take a bow and leave the Red Chamber.