Olasunmibo Aboluwade, Abuja
An elder statesman and former lawmaker in Akwa Ibom State, Chief Nse Ntuen, has dismissed as baseless and politically motivated the recent allegations circulating on social media against the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio.
Ntuen, who said he had known Akpabio for over five decades, described the claims, made by the Senate President’s sister-in-law, Mrs. Patience Ibanga Akpabio, as “malicious falsehoods intended to malign a man whose public record remains unblemished.”
The controversy began after Mrs. Ibanga Akpabio made several unverified claims online allegedly linking the Senate President to wrongdoing, triggering widespread criticism within Akwa Ibom political circles.
Many observers have dismissed the outburst as a private family disagreement deliberately exaggerated for political purposes.
The situation prompted the Greater Akpabio Family to issue a formal statement reaffirming unity within the family and expressing confidence in the Senate President’s integrity.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Chief Ntuen, who currently serves as Honorary Adviser to Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno,vsaid the accusations bore no resemblance to Akpabio’s moral character or long record of service.
He described the allegations as “steeped in personal bitterness and deliberate mischief rather than fact.”
He warned that such reckless claims degrade public discourse and undermine the values of truth and civility that Akwa Ibom people hold dear.
Ntuen said, “We must never allow a culture of reckless falsehood to replace dialogue and truth.”
He further warned that the fabrications were designed to erode the dignity of honest leadership and sow division among a united people.
He aligned himself with the Greater Akpabio Family’s recent resolution, noting that the statement had conclusively addressed the matter.
“These spurious attacks are not only affronts to Senator Akpabio’s person but also to the collective reputation of Essien Udim and, by extension, Akwa Ibom State,” he stated.
Ntuen also condemned attempts to distract the Senate President from his national duties, particularly at a time when Akpabio is collaborating with President Bola Tinubu on legislative frameworks for Nigeria’s economic recovery.
He said, “It is disappointing that anyone would seek to divert public attention with malicious fiction and self-aggrandisement,” he said, commending Akpabio’s “dignified silence and restraint” in the face of provocation.
“Leadership is not theatre; it is service,” Ntuen added. “Senator Akpabio’s focus on legislative efficiency and intergovernmental harmony shows that the surest response to malice is progress,” he added.
The former chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) in Akwa Ibom urged politicians and citizens to guard against the erosion of truth in public discourse.
“When we reduce serious national conversations to gossip and innuendo, we weaken the very fabric of democracy,” he cautioned.
Calling for unity and restraint, Ntuen appealed to Akwa Ibom citizens to prioritise collective progress over personal grievances.
He reaffirmed his loyalty to Governor Umo Eno’s peace-driven leadership and expressed continued support for Senator Akpabio, whom he described as “a son of Akwa Ibom representing the state with distinction at the national level.”
He said, “We stand with our leader, our brother, and our pride. Those who traffic in falsehood will find that truth is patient but enduring.
“The focus must remain on the great task of nation-building, to which Senator Akpabio continues to dedicate himself with calmness, clarity, and conviction.”
