Senate President Godswill Akpabio and youths from his senatorial district, Ikot Ekpene, have dismissed the recent allegations made by his sister-in-law, Princess Pat Akpabio, describing them as false, malicious, and “an attention-seeking stunt.”
Princess Akpabio had in a viral video accused the Senate President of incompetence and alleged involvement in the killing of some Akwa Ibom people during his tenure as governor. She further threatened to expose more “secrets” if Akpabio failed to respond to her claims and announced her intention to challenge him in the 2027 elections.
Her outburst has stirred controversy in Akwa Ibom State, with opinions divided between those who view it as a personal feud and others who have called for calm and proper investigation.
In response, a coalition of youth groups in Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District, during a press conference on Saturday, urged the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to probe the allegations and compel Princess Akpabio to provide evidence to back her claims.
Speaking on behalf of the coalition, its president, Chief Umo Assiak, described the allegations as “careless and defamatory,” noting that they were aimed at tarnishing the reputation of the Senate President, whom he called a “benefactor to many families.”
“We condemn in the strongest terms these reckless statements and online publications aimed at ridiculing the Senate President,” Assiak said. “Freedom of speech does not give anyone the right to defame others without consequence. The social media space should not be turned into a weapon for personal grudges.”
Assiak further revealed plans to petition the American government, where Princess Akpabio currently resides, to compel her to return to Nigeria and substantiate her claims. He stressed that the coalition would not allow what he described as “grievous and unsubstantial allegations” to go unchallenged.
“The cybercrime law is real. It is a criminal offense to use the internet to send messages or content that are false, offensive, or intended to cause annoyance or hatred. We therefore call on the IGP to investigate these malicious online attacks and bring those responsible to justice,” he added.
Reacting through his spokesperson, Eseme Eyiboh, Senator Akpabio questioned why such grave allegations would be made on social media instead of through legal channels.
“Whoever alleges must prove,” Eyiboh said. “An issue as serious as murder should not be reduced to social media theatrics. The right approach is to file a formal complaint to the security agencies for investigation. Using Facebook for such claims shows it is nothing but a publicity stunt.”
He also noted that insecurity was not peculiar to Akwa Ibom during Akpabio’s administration but a national concern that predated his tenure.
Eyiboh maintained that the Senate President would not be drawn into social media drama, emphasizing that “the law provides clear processes for handling such allegations, not online trolling.”