Akpabio Reveals Those Behind Paid Attacks on Tinubu on Social Media

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has alleged that people attacking President Bola Tinubu and his supporters on social media are being paid, as he urged northern youths to intensify efforts to secure the President’s re-election in 2027.

Akpabio made the allegation on Wednesday, when members of the Arewa Revival Project, a northern youth organisation with representatives from the 19 northern states, visited him at his office in Abuja.

The delegation, led by its coordinator, Mustafa Ibrahim, presented an award to the Senate President in recognition of his contributions to nation-building.

The visit also provided an opportunity for Akpabio to encourage the group to take its support for Tinubu beyond social media and into communities across the North.

Addressing the youths, Akpabio warned that those campaigning for the President online could face strong opposition from people critical of the administration.

He claimed that some of those attacking Tinubu and his supporters had financial backing, while the young people supporting the government were doing so without payment.

“Most of those who are attacking the President and attacking these young men on social media are being paid,” Akpabio alleged.

The Senate President urged the group not to allow online criticism to discourage its political activities ahead of the 2027 general election.

He advised members to organise meetings, engage young people directly and explain why they believe the current administration should remain in office for another term.

Akpabio also cautioned the youths against spending all their time responding to critics on social media.

He suggested that face-to-face engagement at the grassroots would be a more effective way to communicate the administration’s policies and convince voters to support Tinubu.

The former Akwa Ibom State governor maintained that those campaigning for the President needed to help Nigerians understand the direction of the government, particularly its economic reforms and efforts to address longstanding challenges.

He defended Tinubu’s policies, arguing that the administration was working to move Nigeria away from excessive dependence on crude oil revenue.

He pointed to the government’s tax reforms and efforts to review outdated laws as measures intended to strengthen the economy and improve the country’s long-term prospects.

Speaking on the administration’s economic direction, Akpabio urged young Nigerians to look beyond criticism on social media and consider the changes being introduced by the government.

He argued that Nigeria needed policies capable of expanding its sources of revenue and reducing its dependence on oil earnings.

“I expect the Nigerian youth to rise above social media propaganda because this President has managed to take us out of a mono-economy, an economy that was dependent only on crude oil,” he said.

He added that the administration had introduced changes through its tax reform programme and efforts to amend laws he considered outdated.

According to him, the measures were part of a broader attempt to reposition the country and create a more stable economic environment.

Akpabio also expressed confidence in Tinubu’s performance, insisting that the President had recorded significant achievements since taking office in May 2023.

He maintained that the administration needed more time to consolidate its policies and allow their intended benefits to become evident.

The Senate President further claimed that the National Assembly was satisfied with the President’s performance and had endorsed his ambition to seek a second term in office.

“No President has achieved the level of development that he has done in this country today since independence,” Akpabio said.

He added that members of the National Assembly were proud of their assessment of the President’s performance and their decision to support his re-election bid.

However, Akpabio did not identify the individuals or organisations he accused of financing attacks against Tinubu and his supporters.

He also did not provide evidence to substantiate the allegation that most of the President’s online critics were being paid.

His statement therefore remains an allegation made during a political event with supporters of the administration.

The Senate President urged the Arewa Revival Project to focus on direct engagement with Nigerians rather than attempting to match the online activity of those criticising the government.

He encouraged the group to convene gatherings where young people could discuss the administration’s policies and understand the arguments being presented in support of its continuation.

Beyond the economy and the 2027 election, Akpabio also expressed optimism about efforts to address Nigeria’s security challenges.

He pointed to the proposed establishment of state police as one of the measures that could strengthen security across the country.

According to reports of the meeting, Akpabio said about 30 state Houses of Assembly had endorsed the constitutional amendment required to introduce state police.

He expressed hope that the process would soon produce a decentralised policing system that would bring security operations closer to communities.

Akpabio encouraged the northern youths to remain confident as they mobilised support for Tinubu, linking the need for political continuity with the administration’s economic and security plans.

He maintained that the government was working to address the country’s difficulties and urged the group to communicate that position to Nigerians.

Earlier, Mustafa Ibrahim explained the reasons for the group’s visit and its decision to honour the Senate President.

The organisation, which draws its membership from the 19 northern states, said the award recognised Akpabio’s contributions to national development and his leadership of the National Assembly.

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