2027: Tinubu’s Online Critics Are Paid- Akpabio

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has alleged that people criticising President Bola Tinubu and his supporters on social media are being paid, urging northern youths to step up grassroots mobilisation for the President’s re-election in 2027.

Akpabio made the remarks on Wednesday when a delegation from the Arewa Revival Project, a youth group led by its coordinator, Mustafa Ibrahim, visited him at his office.

The group, which comprises members from the 19 northern states, presented an award to the Senate President in recognition of his contributions to national development.

Thanking the delegation for the honour, Akpabio urged its members to engage young people at the grassroots and explain what he described as the benefits of maintaining continuity in government.

He argued that the administration’s policies were intended to secure Nigeria’s future, but warned that supporters of Tinubu could face challenges countering online criticism because, according to him, some critics were paid to attack the President and his allies.

Akpabio urged the group to organise discussions with young Nigerians to counter what he described as misleading narratives about the administration.

He said, “Whatever we are doing today, we are doing it to stabilise your future and ensure the survival of Nigeria. So it is good that you are seeing it.

“It is not going to be easy for you because most of those who are attacking the President and attacking these young men on social media are being paid. You are not being paid.

“You may not be able to have the kind of energy and time with them. But once in a while, gather the youth together and let them see the truth and know the truth. That attacking government that is working well for them, trying to bring uncertainty, is not the best.” 

The former Akwa Ibom governor also defended Tinubu’s economic reforms, including the tax changes, saying they were part of efforts to reduce Nigeria’s dependence on crude oil and modernise outdated laws.

He urged young Nigerians not to allow social media criticism to shape their views of the administration, insisting that Tinubu had introduced changes aimed at diversifying the economy.

Akpabio further praised the President’s performance, saying he and members of the National Assembly were satisfied with his record and supported his bid for a second term.

He also credited Tinubu with confronting the country’s economic challenges, expressing gratitude that Nigeria had continued to endure despite the difficulties.

“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 has brought innovations to bear through the tax reform system, through tinkering with anachronistic laws.

“No President has achieved the level of development that he has done in this country today since independence. The naysayers will not want to say so. But I’m very proud, and members of the National Assembly are very proud. We hold our heads very high and say yes, we have given him a pass mark and that we have endorsed him to come for a second term in office.

“I give glory to God that Nigeria is still surviving and surviving because we have a President who thinks and somebody who wants to face challenges, and he is facing the challenges,” he said. 

On insecurity, the Senate President expressed optimism that state police would soon be established to strengthen security across the country.

He said the constitutional amendment process was nearing completion, claiming that about 30 state Houses of Assembly had endorsed the proposed changes to allow decentralised policing.

According to Akpabio, the proposed system would enable states to respond more effectively to security threats within their territories.

He also assured the youth group that Nigeria would eventually overcome its current security challenges, encouraging members to remain confident as they mobilised support for Tinubu.

“As I speak with you now, for the first time in the history of Nigeria, it may not take us a month before we have a State Police system – decentralised policing in the country – because about 30 states have endorsed the amendment to the Nigerian constitution to bring about a State Police system, which will further increase the security of the nation.

“I always tell them that the devil that you see today, you will soon see them no more. Very soon, we shall overcome the insecurity that we face today. So feel confident as you go round campaigning,” Akpabio said.

Earlier, Ibrahim said the group honoured Akpabio because of his contributions to national development and what he described as the achievements of the National Assembly under his leadership.