Senate President Godswill Akpabio has rejected claims linking him to a viral social media post allegedly mocking US President Donald Trump over his recent threat of military intervention in Nigeria, describing the purported comments as “completely fabricated, malicious, and reckless.”
The denial was issued in a statement on Monday by Akpabio’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Eseme Eyiboh, in reaction to a post shared by a social media platform identified as Rant HQ.
The controversial post, which quickly spread across various online platforms, had quoted Akpabio as saying, “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 alleged statement triggered widespread outrage and debate online amid growing diplomatic tension following Trump’s remarks accusing Nigeria of widespread Christian persecution.
However, Akpabio’s media office dismissed the claims, insisting that the Senate President never made such comments, “not publicly, privately, in writing, or in conversation.”
According to Eyiboh, “The post is 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 image used by Rant HQ to accompany the post — showing Akpabio at an unrelated official function was “deceptively deployed to lend false credibility to a fabricated quote that was never uttered by him.”
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Eyiboh emphasised that “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 further 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 for online engagement.
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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 added.
The rebuttal followed 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 remarks, made after designating Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern” for alleged religious persecution, have drawn mixed reactions globally.
Reaffirming Akpabio’s commitment to national leadership, his media office stressed that the Senate remains focused on its constitutional duties and on strengthening Nigeria’s democratic institutions.
“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.
