Senate Orders Probe Into Rumours of Akpabio’s Ill Health

The Senate has instructed the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, to investigate the origin of widely circulated social media posts alleging that Senate President Godswill Akpabio had collapsed or died, after the matter was raised during plenary by Senator Titus Zam.

Zam drew the attention of his colleagues to the reports, saying they had been spreading within the past 48 hours and describing them as “disturbing and unacceptable,” noting that the office of the Senate President, as the nation’s third-highest constitutional position, should not be the subject of unfounded speculation.

Responding to the concerns, Akpabio acknowledged the challenge of managing narratives on social media, observing that it is difficult to control what he described as “garbage in, garbage out” in online discourse, but he welcomed clarification through formal channels.

Following debate, the Senate adopted a motion by voice vote directing the National Security Adviser to probe the motives and origin of the rumours, tasking the office with determining how the reports emerged and why they gained traction among the public.