Senate President Godswill Akpabio has petitioned the Department of State Services over a viral social-media graphic containing a statement he says was falsely attributed to him and capable of inflaming regional tension ahead of the 2027 elections.
The disputed graphic purportedly quoted Akpabio as warning northerners that they would suffer most if President Bola Tinubu lost the election.
Akpabio denied making the statement and asked the DSS to investigate the origin, production and distribution of the material.
His petition said no date, venue, speech, interview, video, audio recording, official statement or credible report had been produced linking him to the quotation.
The Senate President’s office also said the graphic lacked a verifiable publisher or source and appeared to have been presented deliberately as an authentic statement.
The petition referred to several Facebook accounts that allegedly circulated the material early, but cautioned that identification of those accounts did not amount to a finding of guilt.
Akpabio asked investigators to determine whether the circulation was coordinated and whether any individuals deliberately fabricated or amplified the claim.
His media adviser Eseme Eyiboh separately challenged those circulating the quote to produce an authenticated recording, transcript, date and venue.
Eyiboh said Akpabio’s political relationships and staffing arrangements cut across regional lines and rejected attempts to portray him as hostile to northern Nigeria.
The matter remains an allegation of misinformation under investigation, and no individual named in the petition has been established as responsible through a judicial process.
