ABUJA — Senate President Godswill Akpabio has denied reports that he threatened Northerners with hardship between January and May 2027 should President Bola Tinubu lose the presidential election.
Akpabio described the alleged statement as a “complete fabrication” and challenged those circulating it to provide evidence showing where, when and before whom he made such a remark.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Eseme Eyiboh, the Senate President said there was no credible record of him making the statement in any speech, interview, press release, transcript, audio or video recording.
The statement, titled “Desperate and Dangerous Lie: Produce the Evidence or Withdraw It,” was issued in response to a widely circulated photograph containing the alleged quotation.
Akpabio said the photograph could not be regarded as evidence, describing it as “an allegation wearing typography.”
He specifically challenged the alleged source of the material, identified as Engr. Ibrahim Umar Ammar, to produce the original and unedited recording of the purported statement.
According to Akpabio, those responsible should provide details of the alleged occasion, including the date, venue and audience, as well as the complete recording rather than an edited excerpt.
He also urged individuals who merely reposted the claim to identify its original source and provide the publication or platform where they obtained it.
The Senate President warned that while political opposition was legitimate, the spread of fabricated statements capable of inflaming ethnic tensions was dangerous, particularly ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He argued that political parties should campaign on their records, policies, achievements, failures and plans for Nigeria rather than rely on statements designed to provoke regional divisions.
Akpabio further cited his political relationships and legislative activities as evidence that he had worked with Nigerians across regional lines.
He pointed to the presence of Northerners in his office and highlighted his working relationship with Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin of Kano State.
He also referenced legislation establishing the North-West Development Commission and North-Central Development Commission, as well as federal institutions located in Kano and Zamfara states, as examples of initiatives he said reflected his commitment to national development.
The Senate President recalled his visit to Maiduguri, Borno State, following devastating floods and the intervention by the National Assembly to support victims of the disaster.
He also listed legislation and policy initiatives concerning student loans, minimum wage, security, education and economic development, arguing that such measures were intended to benefit Nigerians regardless of their region.
Akpabio urged Nigerians to exercise caution when encountering politically sensitive claims on social media and verify their sources before sharing them.
He maintained that the repetition of a quotation across multiple social media accounts did not make it authentic.
According to him, the responsibility to prove the allegation lies with those making the claim, particularly because no specific location, date or occasion had been identified.
Akpabio called on political parties and their supporters to ensure that the 2027 election campaign remained responsible and focused on issues affecting Nigerians.
He said political parties should be free to scrutinise one another’s records, challenge policies, highlight failures, defend achievements and present alternative visions for the country.
The Senate President cautioned against using ethnicity as a political tool, stressing that neither the North nor the South should be portrayed as an enemy during the electoral contest.
He said Nigeria’s unity should not be sacrificed for political advantage ahead of the 2027 elections.
