Godswill Akpabio, the president of the Nigerian Senate, has rejected as untrue and deceptive a widely shared video in which Garus Gololo purportedly accused him of making divisive statements against Northerners prior to the general elections in 2027.
Gololo reportedly stated in the video that Akpabio told Northerners to either leave Nigeria or vote for President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
However, the Senate President’s office refuted the accusation in a statement, claiming Akpabio never made such a claim.
Jibril Lawal Tafida, the Senate President’s Special Advisor on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organizations, released the statement.
According to Tafida, the assertion is untrue, spiteful, and has the potential to incite needless conflict in the nation.
He claimed that the accusation was an intentional attempt to mislead the public and paint the Senate President in a negative light.
“We want to make it very clear that the Senate President never said anything like that. This assertion is wholly untrue, spiteful, and an intentional attempt to deceive the public, according to the statement.
Insisting that the assertion attributed to Akpabio did not represent his opinions or public behavior, Tafida encouraged Nigerians to ignore the widely shared video.
He claims that the Senate President is still dedicated to maintaining national unity and would not say anything that would cause Nigerians to be divided along ethnic or regional lines.
Tafida also urged security services to look into Gololo and determine where the accusation originated.
He requested proof from Gololo on the purported location and time of Akpabio’s remarks.
He declared, “The public deserves to know the source of these baseless allegations.”
The advisor to the Senate President also called on Northerners and other Nigerians to oppose what he called reckless and aggressive behavior meant to incite discontent among the populace.
He cautioned that unsubstantiated assertions, particularly those pertaining to national unity and ethnicity, could escalate political tensions if left unchecked.
IGP is petitioned by Northern Group
In the meantime, the Northern Democratic Front has petitioned the Inspector-General of Police, demanding that Gololo be detained and that the alleged defamatory remarks against Akpabio be looked into.
The group’s National Secretary, Barrister Bitrus Yohana, and National President, Engineer Musa Abba, signed the petition.
According to the group, the accusation has the potential to cause public unrest and jeopardize national security.
The NDF claims that the viral claim should not be taken lightly since it could lead to mistrust amongst political blocs and regions in the run-up to the 2027 elections.
A group claims defamation
Gololo was also charged by the NDF with using derogatory and filthy language against the Senate President.
It characterized the alleged behavior as an attempt to harm Akpabio’s reputation and disrespectful to the position of the country’s third-ranking citizen.
The group called on the Nigeria Police Force to look into the allegations and bring charges against Gololo if proven guilty.
It stated that he should be looked into for alleged criminal defamation, disseminating misleading information, and actions that could disturb the peace.
The group also stated that, particularly at a time when political activity ahead of 2027 is starting to pick up steam, public discourse should be directed by truth, moderation, and responsibility.
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