By Nathaniel Zaccheaus, Abuja
President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has petitioned the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services (DSS) regarding the circulation of a forged statement on social media, falsely claiming that he responded to recent comments by former US President Donald Trump about Nigeria.
Akpabio, who described the report as “malicious and dangerous,” said it was deliberately fabricated to provoke a diplomatic misunderstanding between Nigeria and the United States and to damage the credibility of the National Assembly.
Addressing the issue during Tuesday’s plenary, Akpabio dissociated himself from the fake publication, which purportedly quoted him as saying that Nigerians were “not complaining” and were “satisfied with their living conditions,” a supposed reaction to Trump’s controversial remarks alleging that Nigeria was “killing Christians.”
He said, “Somebody will sit in the comfort of his room and produce a report, attach fake pictures from 2023 when the Senate President and senators visited Port Harcourt on a completely different assignment, and then say, ‘Senate President answers President Trump.’ Who am I to answer President Trump?” Akpabio said.
He confirmed that petitions had been submitted to both the police and the DSS, urging the agencies to track down the individuals behind the forgery.
“This quotation is meant to cause a diplomatic row. The presidency, not the Senate, speaks for Nigeria on such matters. So, who is that person who will ascribe such a comment to the Senate President when there was never any interview?”
The Senate President said the report was a calculated attempt to incite tension and discredit the legislature.
“I believe the Cybercrimes Unit of the police, the DSS and other agencies should find out who this character is, because it is meant to cause friction and put the Nigerian Senate in disrepute,” he added.
Backing Akpabio’s position, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin declared that lawmakers would not be intimidated by falsehoods or manipulated reports.
“I said I’m not scared of Trump. I will say my mind. I’m a Nigerian. Nigeria is a sovereign nation. I’m a parliamentarian. I can speak. Don’t be scared of Trump. You can share your thoughts about Trump. We are a sovereign nation,” Barau stated.
Akpabio, however, cautioned senators to verify their statements to avoid misrepresentation.
“Don’t allow people to ascribe what you did not say to you,” he warned, clarifying that the Senate had not yet discussed Trump’s comments and would only issue a formal statement after due deliberation.
“We have not discussed President Trump in chambers yet. I know we will, and I believe we will,” he told lawmakers, eliciting murmurs of approval across the floor.
Reaffirming the Senate’s stance, Akpabio stressed that any official response to international figures would reflect Nigeria’s collective position, not a fabricated statement by “a mischief-maker hiding behind a keyboard.”
“This time, the Senate President of Nigeria did not answer President Trump,” he stated firmly.
“It’s only when we discuss it in plenary that the Senate can speak, not somebody sitting somewhere to talk nonsense.”
Security agencies are expected to conclude preliminary investigations into the source of the fake publication before the Senate debates the matter formally in the coming days.
