The Nigerian Senate has directed the National Security Adviser (NSA) to investigate circulating reports claiming that Senate President Godswill Akpabio has passed away.
The resolution came during plenary on Tuesday after Senator Titus Zam raised a point of order, citing unverified reports circulating on various media platforms. The reports alleged that Akpabio had suffered a health emergency and was rushed to a hospital in London. Senator Zam described such misinformation as unacceptable and urged authorities to identify those responsible and hold them accountable under the law.
Presiding over the session, Akpabio acknowledged the challenge of monitoring media content, particularly stories about politicians, noting that some publications amounted to “garbage in, garbage out.”
Earlier, Akpabio’s media team had dismissed claims that he collapsed and was flown abroad for urgent medical attention. Kenny Okolugbo, Consultant on Communications and Strategy to the Senate President, told Daily Post, “It’s a lie, fake news,” without providing additional details.
The controversy follows a report by Sahara Reporters alleging that Akpabio collapsed on December 10 and was flown to London in a private jet reportedly provided by billionaire Aliko Dangote. The report also claimed that the Senate President was absent from official engagements, including the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP) session held last Wednesday.
During the session, Senator Onyekachi Nwaebonyi represented Akpabio, highlighting the Senate President’s absence at a key legislative event.
Also Read: Senate President Godswill Akpabio Denies Collapsing, Labels Reports as Fake News
The Senate’s move to call for an investigation signals a growing concern over the spread of fake news targeting public officials and the potential consequences of such misinformation.
