The Arewa Revival Project has dismissed a viral social media claim attributed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, describing the alleged statement as fabricated and capable of worsening regional tensions ahead of the 2027 elections.
The group said there was no credible evidence that Akpabio made the statement circulating online, which allegedly claimed that Northerners would be made to suffer between January and May if President Bola Tinubu lost the 2027 election.
In a statement signed by its Project Coordinator, Hon. Muttaka Ahmed Ibrahim, the group urged Nigerians, particularly those in Northern Nigeria, to disregard the claim unless it could be supported by verifiable evidence.
According to the organisation, a social media graphic bearing a politician’s photograph and an alleged quotation does not establish that the person actually made the statement.
It challenged those circulating the claim to produce the full video, date, venue, complete speech or authentic transcript from which the quotation was supposedly obtained.
The group also recalled that Akpabio’s office had previously rejected viral allegations portraying him as making anti-Northern or threatening remarks, describing such claims as false and malicious.
Rather than fueling regional suspicion, the Arewa Revival Project said Akpabio had made public statements promoting national cohesion and cautioning against allowing political differences to threaten Nigeria’s unity.
It cited a statement attributed to the Senate President in June 2026 in which he reportedly warned that elections would come and go and should not be allowed to become the end of Nigeria.
The organisation further commended Akpabio for what it described as his efforts to foster cooperation between the executive and legislative arms of government.
It also acknowledged his support for Tinubu’s administration and his engagement with political stakeholders across the country, including his July 2026 call for increased grassroots mobilisation ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The group said the circulation of an unverified quotation as an established fact was particularly concerning as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections.
It therefore advised Nigerians to verify the source, date and context of controversial statements before sharing them online.
The Arewa Revival Project specifically urged members of the public to establish whether a complete recording exists, identify the original source and determine whether credible news organisations have independently verified the claim.
The group maintained that political disagreements were a normal part of democracy but warned that deliberately manufactured ethnic or regional hostility could undermine peaceful political participation.
It pledged to continue supporting voter education, peaceful engagement, national unity and constructive relations between Northern and Southern Nigeria.
The organisation also called on political leaders to promote what it described as the spirit of One Nigeria, stressing that political competition should not be allowed to degenerate into ethnic suspicion or regional hatred.