Senate President Godswill Akpabio has disowned a viral social media post that attributed to him comments allegedly mocking United States President Donald Trump over his recent threat of military action in Nigeria, describing the statement as “completely fabricated, malicious, and reckless.”
The clarification was issued on Monday in Abuja by Akpabio’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Eseme Eyiboh, following the circulation of a post by a social media platform known as Rant HQ.
The post, which quickly went viral, claimed Akpabio had said, “The killing is taking place in Nigeria, not in USA, Trump should focus on US. Nigerians are not complaining about the killings, we are fully satisfied with the condition of Nigeria.”
The purported quote sparked outrage online and fueled debate amid growing diplomatic tension after Trump accused Nigeria of widespread Christian persecution.
In his response, Akpabio’s media office denied ever issuing such remarks, “not publicly, privately, in writing, or in conversation.”
Eyiboh described the post as “a total falsehood, a product of mischief, and a desperate attempt to incite misunderstanding between Senator Godswill Akpabio and US President Donald Trump, as well as between Nigeria and its international partners.”
He further explained that the photograph used by Rant HQ to accompany the post was “deceptively deployed to lend false credibility to a fabricated quote that was never uttered by him.”
According to Eyiboh, “Senator Akpabio is a statesman of global repute and a respected advocate of international friendship, diplomacy, and mutual respect among nations. He holds President Donald Trump in high regard as a historic figure and a leader of a great nation. He would never comment on internal matters of the United States, nor issue any statement that falls within the exclusive domain of Nigeria’s executive arm of government or the nation’s foreign policy establishment.”
The Senate President’s office condemned the viral post as “a clear act of digital recklessness and a deliberate attempt to sow confusion, tarnish reputations, and inflame unnecessary diplomatic sentiments.”
Eyiboh urged Nigerians to disregard the publication entirely, warning purveyors of misinformation to desist from spreading falsehoods.
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“We urge the public to ignore this falsehood in its entirety. We warn those who trade in misinformation to desist from peddling unverified and fabricated stories just to chase online traffic. Freedom of expression is not freedom to lie,” he said.
The rebuttal follows Trump’s weekend post on Truth Social, in which he threatened possible U.S. military intervention in Nigeria, saying his administration “may very well go into that now disgraced country, guns-a-blazing, to completely wipe out the Islamic terrorists.”
Trump’s comments, made after designating Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern” for alleged religious persecution, have generated mixed reactions globally.
Reaffirming Akpabio’s focus on his constitutional responsibilities, his media office noted that the Senate remains dedicated to its legislative mandate and to strengthening Nigeria’s democracy.
“The Office of the President of the Senate remains committed to transparency, truth, and responsible communication both in Nigeria and on the international stage,” the statement concluded.
