Kinsmen of Senate President Godswill Akpabio have dismissed allegations by social media activist, Haruna Gololo that Akpabio made inciting comments against the North ahead of the 2027 general elections.
A viral video has emerged showing Haruna Garba, a social media sensation known as Garus Gololo, accusing the Senate President of disrespecting the North. He said that Akpabio told him that President Bola Tinubu would win the 2027 presidential election with or without the North.
But the group, operating under the umbrella of the Isong Annang Ethnic Forum in Akwa Ibom State, in a statement issued in Uyo on Monday, defended the Senate President, saying it had investigated the claims and found the allegations to be false and orchestrated to tarnish his image.
The statement, signed by the National President of the group, Prince Mendy Archibong, National Secretary, Elder Mfon Ebong and National Women Leader, Hon. Emilia Udom, asked the originator of the allegation to provide proof.
“As a forum we have looked into the allegations that Gololo has maliciously attributed to our son. We found nothing to prove our son guilty. “It is therefore expedient to state that senator Akpabio did not say anything to undermine the support and role the people of Northern Nigeria would play in the re-election of President Bola Tinubu in the year 2027.” the statement said.
The group described Akpabio as a respected nationalist who knows the importance of building unity with Nigerians regardless of tribe, faith or region.
The group said: “Distinguished Senator Akpabio is a celebrated nationalist with a pedigree of political leadership that underscores his deep respect for the cultural and religious diversities in our country.
“Despite their singular heterogeneity, he understands the expediencies of cultivating a warm, homogeneous bond of brotherhood with all Nigerians from every tribe, faith and region.
“He has long appreciated the diversities of our nation before he became President of the Senate. He reflected on the big and fundamental lifestyle choices our son made from the time he served meritoriously as the Governor of Akwa Ibom State.
The group appealed to the leadership of Arewa to ignore what it described as a campaign of calumny and also appealed to Northern elites to support the second-term bid of President Bola Tinubu in the interest of justice, fairness and preservation of political cooperation between the North and South.
The forum calls on respected Arewa leaders and groups to reject the inciteful and divisive campaign of calumny concocted by rampaging anti-unity propagandists who want to sow disaffection and disharmony among ethnic groups and regions in the country especially as the 2027 general elections approach.
The forum called on the Northern Nigeria elites to support President Bola Tinubu for a second term in 2027 in the interest of justice, fairness and to sustain the long history of shared political cooperation between the North and the South in order to balance the power rotation between the North and South.
The group restated its solidarity and support for Tinubu and the Senate President and pledged to remain committed to mutual understanding and peaceful coexistence.
“Isong Annang Ethnic Forum reiterates its unalloyed support and solidarity to President Bola Tinubu and Distinguished Senator Godswill Akpabio and pledges to remain faithfully committed to promote mutual understanding and peaceful co-existence between the Annang nation and other ethnic groups and regions in Nigeria,” the statement added.
