A media aide to Senate President Godswill Akpabio has dismissed claims circulating online that the Senate President is unwell, describing the reports as false and misleading.
Kenny Okolugbo, Consultant on Communications and Strategy to the Senate President, spoke on Channels Television’s Morning Brief on Thursday, where he said there was no truth to the speculation about Akpabio’s health.
According to him, the Senate President remains in good health and continues to carry out his official responsibilities.
“The Senate President is very healthy. He has been attending official sessions, and that alone should put these rumours to rest,” Okolugbo said.
He likened the situation to past unverified reports about the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, which later proved to be unfounded.
“We saw the same thing happen with Minister Wike. One day, there were claims that he was in a coma or had suffered a stroke. The very next day, he was commissioning projects and appearing live on television,” he added.
Okolugbo warned against the unchecked spread of misinformation on social media and called for stricter enforcement of existing laws regulating online publishing.
“Social media must be regulated. Many people forget that being online does not exempt anyone from the law. You cannot share information you are not certain about,” he said.
The rebuttal follows a report by an online platform which alleged earlier in the week that Akpabio had collapsed and was flown abroad for medical treatment.
The report further claimed that his alleged condition prevented him from attending official engagements, including a recent interactive session on national fiscal planning.
The Senate President’s aide, however, insisted that the claims were baseless and urged the public to rely on verified information from credible sources.
