Senate President Godswill Akpabio has denied reports that he threatened Northerners with hardship between January and May 2027 should President Bola Ahmed Tinubu lose the presidential election.
Akpabio described the purported statement as a “complete fabrication” and challenged those circulating it to provide verifiable evidence showing where, when and before whom he allegedly made the remark.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Eseme Eyiboh, titled “Desperate and Dangerous Lie: Produce the Evidence or Withdraw It,” the Senate President said there was no authentic video, audio recording, speech, interview, press release, transcript or credible news report containing the alleged statement.
He said a photograph displaying the purported quotation could not constitute evidence, describing it as “an allegation wearing typography.”
Akpabio specifically challenged the alleged source of the claim, identified as Engr. Ibrahim Umar Ammar, to produce the original and unedited recording of the purported statement.
“Produce the original and unedited video or audio recording showing precisely where, when and before whom Senator Akpabio made the alleged statement. Name the occasion. Give the date and venue. Provide the complete recording, not a conveniently edited fragment,” he said.
He also asked individuals who merely reposted the claim to identify its original source and provide the publication or platform from which they obtained it.
While acknowledging that political opposition was legitimate, Akpabio warned against the circulation of fabricated statements capable of inflaming ethnic tensions ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to him, the forthcoming political contest should focus on the records, policies, achievements and failures of political actors, as well as their competing visions for Nigeria, rather than fabricated quotations capable of undermining national unity.
“This is not legitimate political opposition. It is calculated incitement designed to manufacture fear, resentment and hostility between Northern Nigerians and a national leader from the South,” he said.
The Senate President further cited his political relationships and legislative activities as evidence that he had not acted with hostility towards the North.
He specifically referenced the presence of Northerners in his office and his working relationship with Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, who represents Kano State.
Akpabio also pointed to legislation establishing the North-West Development Commission and North-Central Development Commission, as well as interventions and federal institutions in Kano and Zamfara states, as examples of initiatives aimed at promoting development across regional lines.
He recalled his visit to Borno State following the devastating floods in Maiduguri and the financial intervention by the National Assembly to support affected communities.
The Senate President also cited legislative measures on student loans, minimum wage, security, education and economic development, arguing that such initiatives were designed to benefit Nigerians irrespective of their geographical location.
He urged Nigerians to exercise caution and verify politically sensitive claims before sharing them on social media.
“A quotation of this gravity cannot be authenticated by repetition, likes, shares or the number of Facebook accounts carrying it,” Akpabio said.
He maintained that the responsibility to establish the authenticity of the alleged statement rested with those making the accusation, arguing that he could not reasonably be expected to disprove an unidentified statement allegedly made at an unspecified time and location.
Akpabio called on political parties and their supporters to ensure that the 2027 electoral contest remained “truthful, responsible and Nigerian.”
“Let the 2027 contest be vigorous. Let political parties interrogate records, challenge policies, expose failures, defend achievements and present competing visions for Nigeria,” he said.
“The North is not an electoral weapon. The South is not an enemy. Ethnicity is not campaign ammunition. And Nigeria’s unity must never become collateral damage in anybody’s campaign for power.”
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