Senator Ben Murray-Bruce became a trending subject on Tuesday over allegation that he was denied access to President Muhammadu Buhari at a dinner in Aso Rock on Monday.
The 60-year-old lawmaker representing Bayelsa East senatorial district at the National Assembly had claimed in a series of tweets that Department of State Service (DSS) operatives blocked him from reaching Buhari while others were allowed to.
He put the purported ill treatment down to his criticism of the President.
That claims was, however, rubbished by two other senators who were also at the event.
In a message posted on Facebook, Senator Shehu Sani, representing Kaduna Central, said he was surprised to learn of Murray-Bruce’s allegation.
The chairman, Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debts, who said Buhari knows “I always have an independent mind and will always speak my mind when there is the need to do so”, said no such thing happened.
Sola Adeyeye, representing Osun Central, pointed out that those who were turned back from reaching the President had breached protocol.
The Senate Chief Whip wrote in a message released on Tuesday: “I was at the dinner. I sat in the front row along with other Principal Officers of the National Assembly. I had a vantage view of what transpired.
“I am disappointed by this comment from a respected colleague. I have on two occasions provided robust defence of Sen Ben Bruce. Not this time!
It was Sen Dino Melaye who first went to greet those seated at the President’s table, including President Buhari. He was well greeted. No one in the senate has criticized President Buhari more than Sen Melaye. But as others rose to do what Dino had done, the scene got clumsy and indecorous because people were approaching the President’s table from different directions.
“I sat between Sen (Abiodun) Olujimi and Sen (Emmanuel) Bwacha. The three of us felt embarrassed by what was clearly a breach of dinner protocol. At that level, if dinner was served or being served, good etiquette demanded that the President’s table should not be approached. One should wait until people had finished eating. No senator in the USA would breach such elementary protocol.
“We (on my table) predicted in whispers that colleagues would soon be barred from approaching the President’s table and it happened. The first person to be turned back was Sen (Barnabas) Gemade who was visibly embarrassed. He belongs to the APC; he is not a known critic of the President.
“When I noticed that most people had finished their food, I approached the table and offered my pleasantries. Others followed suit. No one was turned back.”
Nigerian Twitter users took over from there:
Senator Ben Bruce Murray keeps lowering the bar. To what end? Omashe o.
— HENRY Okelue (@4eyedmonk) May 31, 2016
We all knew what happened to the students at Ben Bruce’s birthday lecture. He got served whathe deserved. Karma is really something else.
— seyeah OMOLUABI (@fashybou) May 31, 2016
In primary & secondary schools, all classes have their lines on the assembly ground. Why would Ben-Bruce jump to SS3 line when he’s in SS1?
— Mr El-Bonga™ (@el_bonga) May 31, 2016
Sad to see that Ben Bruce is no longer known for how he brilliantly changed the face of the entertainment industry in Nigeria.
— Cinderella Man (@Osi_Suave) May 31, 2016
DSS, why na? Ben Bruce wanted to shake Baba’s hand, have some pics with him and later broadcast same in his best chamber, Twitter.
— YM Rigasa (@YMRigasa) May 31, 2016
I think Senator Ben Bruce is acting like a child. If I am him I will just delete my Twitter account and rest.
— Sally (@is_salsu) May 31, 2016
Ben Bruce craves attention so much he’d even lie just to get a few more retweets. Tragic Bruce. pic.twitter.com/jphNGOI5ox
— JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) May 31, 2016
Ben Bruce is a Niger Delta Senator. There’s a full scale military invasion there, but he’s more interested in “Buhari won’t greet me”
— Onye Nkuzi (@cchukudebelu) May 31, 2016
Ben-Bruce should know that as long as he continues 2 ignore his legislative duties,come to twitter & fight small boys,no 1 would respect him
— Mr El-Bonga™ (@el_bonga) May 31, 2016
