By Kenneth Udeh, Abuja
President of the Senate, Godswill Obot Akpabio, has dismissed reports suggesting that operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) occupied the National Assembly premises due to an alleged plot by some lawmakers to unseat the Senate leadership.
Reacting to the viral news during Wednesday’s plenary, Akpabio described the reports as “fake news,” claiming they were AI-generated. He emphasised that the Senate under his leadership remains stable, and as such, the alleged impeachment plot cannot arise.
According to the reports, speculations had emerged that some aggrieved northern senators, allegedly dissatisfied with President Bola Tinubu, were reviving an earlier attempt to remove Akpabio from office.
Shortly after the confirmation of federal commissioners for the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Akpabio addressed the issue. He dismissed the impeachment plot as a “mirage” and lamented that fake news was gradually overtaking the media space.
“The news that the DSS surrounded the National Assembly over a report to impeach the principal officers of the Senate is fake. The Senate is stable, and the issue of impeachment does not arise,” Akpabio stated.
He then jokingly asked, “Are we here sitting down doing our work, or should we refer the fake news to Senator Yar’adua’s Committee on Army? Let us refer it to the Senate Committee on Police Affairs.”
Akpabio further noted, “It is part of what we deal with daily. Sometimes, it’s AI-generated. I learned they can click an AI button, and news starts trending to drive traffic, and I’m sure the traffic for this fake news is massive by now.”
He stressed, “There is no limit to what online publications can do. This is total fake news, and the impeachment of principal officers is not an issue. We are all here in the National Assembly without any controversial matters.”
The Senate President later referred the matter to the Committee on Special Duties for investigation, with a report expected to be presented to the Committee of the Whole within 24 hours.
Since the inauguration of the 10th Senate in June 2023, Akpabio’s leadership has frequently faced impeachment speculations.
