Senate President Godswill Akpabio has petitioned the Department of State Services (DSS) over an alleged anti-Northern statement falsely attributed to him and circulated on Facebook and other social media platforms.
Akpabio’s Special Assistant on Media, Jackson Udom, made the petition available to journalists in Abuja on Wednesday.
The petition, filed by the Senate President’s Chief of Staff, Chinedu Akubueze, urged the DSS to investigate the creation and circulation of what he described as a “manifestly false, inflammatory and dangerously divisive statement” purportedly credited to Akpabio.
The graphic, which carried Akpabio’s photograph and official designation, attributed the following statement to him: “Northerners, You Will Be The Ones To Suffer The Most, If You Allow Tinubu To Lose The Election”.
Akubueze, however, said Akpabio never made the statement, noting that there was no evidence to authenticate it.
“Akpabio did not make this statement. No date, venue, speech, interview, video, audio recordings, official statement or credible news report has been produced to authenticate it,” the petition partly read.
It also stated that the graphic had no identifiable publisher’s mark or verifiable source, alleging that it was deliberately manufactured and presented as an authentic quotation.
According to Akubueze, the alleged fabrication was designed to mislead the public, stir regional resentment against the Senate President and portray him as threatening people from Northern Nigeria.
He said a preliminary review of publicly available Facebook records had identified some of the earliest traceable accounts that amplified the graphic.
Those listed included Abdullai Musa, who allegedly posted the graphic in a Facebook group identified as “Sheikh Muhammad bin Uthman group 24”, and Uzoma Chilaka, whose Facebook post allegedly reproduced the graphic alongside a commentary attributed to Boniface Uzoma Chilaka and Engineer Ibrahim Umar Ammar.
The petition also identified a verified Facebook account belonging to Ibrahim Umar Ammar as having subsequently reproduced the graphic and similar commentary.
Akpabio’s office, however, cautioned that the individuals should not be regarded as guilty, describing them as persons of interest who could assist investigators in determining the origin and distribution of the alleged fake statement.
“These persons should not be presumed guilty before investigation. Nevertheless, their early and substantial roles in circulating the material make them material persons of interest, who may possess information capable of identifying the graphics designer, original uploader, sponsors, intermediaries and the network through which it was distributed,” the petition stated,
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“Their publication records, devices, communications and the provenance of the image should therefore be investigated in accordance with the laws,” it added.
The petition comes as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections, with politicians and political parties increasingly relying on social media to mobilise supporters and campaign for public support.
Akpabio, who represents Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial District, is a prominent figure in the administration of President Bola Tinubu and has featured prominently in political discussions ahead of the 2027 elections.
Rafiyat Sadiq is a political, justice, and human rights reporter with Pinnacle Daily, known for fearless reporting and impactful storytelling. At Pinnacle Daily, she brings clarity and depth to issues shaping governance, democracy, and the protection of citizens’ rights.