President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has denied making a statement threatening that Northerners would be made to “suffer” if President Bola Tinubu loses the 2027 presidential election.
Akpabio described the statement, attributed to him in a purported Facebook post, as fabricated and challenged its author to produce evidence showing where he made the alleged remark.
The Senate President’s position was conveyed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Hon. Eseme Eyiboh, in Abuja on Wednesday.
The controversial post, reportedly published by one Engr. Ibrahim Umar Ammar, quoted Akpabio as saying: “We will make sure Northerners suffer from January to May if Tinubu loses the election.”
Eyiboh, however, dismissed the quotation as false, insisting that there was no credible record of Akpabio making such a statement.
He said, “There is no video, audio recording, speech, interview, press release, transcript or credible news report in which those words were uttered by him.”
According to him, a photograph carrying words beneath it does not constitute evidence of a statement allegedly made by the person pictured.
Eyiboh challenged Ammar to produce the original material in which Akpabio purportedly made the statement. He further asked him, if the material was merely reposted, to identify its original source and provide the publication from which it was obtained.
He said those responsible for creating or circulating the alleged false quotation should be identified and subjected to due process.
Describing the purported statement as “calculated incitement,” Eyiboh said it was designed to create fear and hostility between Northerners and President Tinubu ahead of the 2027 elections.
He urged political actors to focus on policies, records and credible alternatives rather than resorting to fabricated statements capable of deepening ethnic divisions.
Eyiboh also pointed to Akpabio’s political relationships and legislative activities as evidence that the alleged statement was inconsistent with his conduct, noting that the Senate President works closely with his deputy, Senator Barau Jibrin of Kano State, alongside other northern political allies and aides.
He cited several legislative initiatives under Akpabio’s leadership, including the establishment of the North-West Development Commission and North-Central Development Commission, as well as legislation establishing a Federal Polytechnic in Rano, Kano State, and a Federal University of Health Sciences in Tsafe, Zamfara State.
He further recalled Akpabio’s visit to Borno State following the devastating Maiduguri floods and the National Assembly’s intervention to support victims.
Eyiboh added that the Senate had also supported legislation covering student loans, minimum wage, security, education and economic development.
He appealed to Nigerians to refrain from circulating the alleged quotation without primary evidence, insisting that the responsibility to substantiate the claim rests with those who made and circulated it.
He also called on political parties and their supporters to ensure that the 2027 election campaign remained issue-based and responsible, warning against the exploitation of ethnic sentiments for political gain.