The Senate has launched an investigation into reports of a purported plan to impeach Senate President Godswill Akpabio, dismissing the rumours as fake news.
During its plenary on Wednesday, the Senate referred the matter to its Committee on Special Duties, tasking the committee with investigating the origin of the false reports.
Addressing the issue, Akpabio responded to circulating social media rumours that the Department of State Security had taken control of the National Assembly in anticipation of an impeachment move. In a light-hearted tone, he remarked that the Senate was conducting its business smoothly, unaware of the misleading stories being spread.
“We are here, sitting peacefully, doing our work, oblivious to the mischief happening behind us.
“This kind of falsehood is part of what we face daily. They use AI to manipulate stories, probably to drive traffic and earn money from platforms like YouTube,” he said.
He referred the fake news to the Committee on Special Duties for further investigation.
Akpabio reassured the public that the Senate remains stable and that there is no truth to the impeachment rumours.
“I hope the public understands that this is fake news. The chamber is very stable, and the issue of impeachment doesn’t arise,” he said.
In response, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Special Duties, Shehu Kaka, pledged to investigate the matter and report back to the Senate.
Contrary to reports of a heavy security presence at the National Assembly, The PUNCH observed no unusual deployment of security personnel, further debunking claims made by some media outlets.
This is not the first time such rumours about Akpabio’s impeachment have surfaced.