The Nigerian Senate has expressed strong support for Senate President Godswill Akpabio and the entire Senate leadership by passing a vote of confidence.
This development comes amidst circulating rumors suggesting a plot to impeach Akpabio, which were widely spread online.
During the Senate’s plenary session on Thursday, lawmakers collectively dismissed the alleged plot and reinforced their backing of Akpabio.
The rumors, which surfaced the day before, suggested that security operatives from the Department of State Services (DSS) had visited the National Assembly complex on Wednesday.
The reports indicated that a group of northern senators dissatisfied with the current administration, led by President Bola Tinubu, were considering reviving an earlier attempt to remove Akpabio from his position.
Senate President Akpabio addressed these speculations during Wednesday’s plenary, categorically denying the allegations and labeling them as false.
He stated, “We are here, sitting peacefully, doing our work, oblivious to the mischief happening behind us. If they have a lot of traffic… Whoever brought out this fake news must be getting a lot of payment because of the traffic going on.”
Akpabio emphasized that the Nigerian Senate is functioning smoothly and that there is no truth to the impeachment rumors.
He noted that such misinformation is part of a larger trend, driven by individuals or groups aiming to manipulate the public and generate revenue through traffic on social media platforms. “I hope the public understands that this is totally fake news, and the chamber is very stable,” he added.
In response to the widespread rumors, Akpabio referred the matter to the Senate Committee on Special Duties, asking for a thorough investigation into the source of the false information.
The Chairman of the Committee on Special Duties, Senator Shehu Kaka, assured the Senate that his committee would take up the matter immediately and report back with their findings.
