Controversial Comment Attributed To Akpabio Fake, Politically Motivated – Arewa Group

The Arewa Think Tank has described as fake and politically motivated a social media graphic purportedly quoting Senate President Godswill Akpabio as making a controversial statement against northerners.
The reaction followed a reported petition by Akpabio’s chief of staff, Chinedu Akubueze, to the Department of State Services (DSS), seeking an investigation into the graphic’s origin and circulation.

The graphic purportedly quoted Akpabio as saying: “Northerners, You Will Be The Ones To Suffer The Most, If You Allow Tinubu To Lose The Election.”

Akpabio’s office, however, denied the statement, describing the graphic as “manifestly false, inflammatory and dangerously divisive.”

Reacting to the development, the convener of the Arewa Think Tank, Muhammad Alhaji Yakubu, said the alleged statement could inflame ethnic sentiments and create unnecessary tension between the north and other parts of the country, particularly as political activities ahead of the 2027 general elections gather momentum.

“This is precisely the kind of dangerous misinformation that Nigerians must reject. Senator Godswill Akpabio has consistently operated within the constitutional framework of his office, and there is no justification for attributing statements to him that he did not make,” Yakubu said.

He urged security agencies to investigate the origin of the graphic, identify those behind its production and determine whether its circulation was part of a coordinated campaign.

Yakubu said statements capable of provoking ethnic sentiments could have serious consequences in an already politically charged environment.

He urged political actors and their supporters to allow the relevant authorities to conduct a professional and impartial investigation into the matter.

Yakubu also cautioned Nigerians, particularly those in the North, against being influenced by unverified political content circulating on social media.

He urged social media users to exercise restraint when sharing political content, particularly claims that could provoke ethnic, religious, or regional sentiments.