Fake Akpabio quote: Arewa group wants DSS to probe, expose sponsors

The Arewa Think Tank has called on the Department of State Services (DSS) to investigate the origin of a purported statement attributed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, urging the security agency to identify those behind the production and circulation of the material.

The group described the alleged statement, which portrayed Akpabio as warning Northerners that they would suffer if President Bola Ahmed Tinubu lost the 2027 election, as fabricated and capable of aggravating ethnic and political tensions.

In a statement by its Convener, Muhammad Alhaji Yakubu, the group commended Akpabio for what it described as his efforts to promote national unity and cooperation across regional and political divides.

Yakubu said the Senate President should not be associated with statements capable of setting one section of the country against another without credible evidence establishing that he made them.

He urged the DSS to go beyond identifying individuals who shared the material and establish how the graphic was produced, who originated it and whether its circulation formed part of a coordinated political campaign.

“When you fabricate a statement and attach it to the President of the Senate, particularly one directed at Northerners, you are not simply attacking an individual. You are attempting to create suspicion between millions of Nigerians and deepen existing political and regional tensions,” Yakubu said.

The group also welcomed the reported petition by Akpabio’s Chief of Staff, Chinedu Akubueze, to the DSS over the social media graphic, saying the matter deserved professional investigation ahead of the 2027 elections.

Yakubu stressed that the investigation should be based on facts and evidence, cautioning against a witch-hunt or the premature labelling of anyone as guilty before the conclusion of investigations.

“We support a proper investigation, not a witch-hunt. Anybody identified during the preliminary tracing should be treated as a person of interest until the facts are established,” he said.

He urged Nigerians, particularly political actors and their supporters, to verify sensitive political information before sharing it, warning that unverified materials could undermine trust among communities and political leaders.

The Arewa Think Tank convener said the approach of the 2027 elections was likely to increase the volume of politically motivated content online, making responsible communication and fact-checking essential.

He further urged the DSS and other relevant authorities to make their findings public, saying transparency would help establish the truth and prevent the alleged statement from being exploited for further ethnic or political mobilisation.

Yakubu said national interest should remain above partisan considerations, adding that political competition should be based on policies, ideas and leadership rather than fabricated quotations capable of dividing Nigerians.

“If Senator Akpabio made such a statement, let the video, audio recording, transcript, venue and date be produced. But if no credible evidence exists, Nigerians should reject the material for what it appears to be,” he said.