The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has denied allegations that he made divisive comments against Northerners ahead of the 2027 general elections, describing the claims circulating in a viral video as false and misleading.

In the video, one Garus Gololo allegedly claimed that Akpabio said Northerners must vote for President Bola Tinubu in 2027 or leave the country.

However, the Senate President’s office, in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations, Jibril Lawal Tafida, dismissed the allegation, insisting that Akpabio never made such a statement.

Tafida described the claim as “false, malicious and a deliberate attempt to mislead the public,” warning that it was capable of creating unnecessary tension in the country.

“We wish to state clearly and unequivocally that the President of the Senate never made such a statement.

This claim is completely false, malicious, and a deliberate attempt to mislead the public,” the statement read.

The aide urged Nigerians to disregard the viral video, maintaining that the statement attributed to Akpabio did not reflect his views or public conduct.

According to Tafida, the Senate President remains committed to national unity and would not make comments capable of dividing Nigerians along ethnic or regional lines.

He also called on security agencies to investigate the source of the allegation and urged Gololo to provide evidence of where and when Akpabio allegedly made the remarks.

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“The public deserves to know the source of these baseless allegations,” he added.

Tafida further appealed to Northerners and other Nigerians not to be swayed by what he described as provocative conduct capable of causing disaffection among citizens, warning that unverified claims on sensitive national issues could overheat the polity.

Meanwhile, the Northern Democratic Front has petitioned the Inspector-General of Police, calling for Gololo’s arrest and investigation over the alleged defamatory remarks against the Senate President.

The petition, signed by the group’s National President, Engr. Musa Abba, and National Secretary, Barrister Bitrus Yohana, stated that the allegation could incite public disorder and threaten national peace if left unchecked.

The group also accused Gololo of using offensive language against Akpabio and attempting to tarnish the image of the nation’s number three citizen.

The NDF urged the Nigeria Police Force to investigate the matter thoroughly and prosecute Gololo if found culpable of criminal defamation, spreading false information and conduct likely to disturb public peace.

According to the group, public discourse should be guided by truth, restraint and responsibility, especially as political activities ahead of the 2027 elections begin to intensify.