Senate President Godswill Akpabio has alleged that Nigerians attacking President Bola Tinubu and his supporters on social media are being paid, urging youths in the North to step up efforts to counter the criticism ahead of the 2027 general election.
Akpabio made the allegation on Wednesday when a delegation of Arewa Revival Project, led by its coordinator, Mustafa Ibrahim, visited him at his office.
He urged the northern youth group, whose members are drawn from the 19 states in the region, to intensify grassroots mobilisation for Tinubu’s re-election, insisting that government supporters could face a difficult contest against critics allegedly receiving payment to attack the President online.
According to Akpabio, the youths supporting Tinubu may struggle to match the time and resources available to those allegedly sponsored to criticise the administration.
“Most of those who are attacking the President and attacking these young men on social media are being paid. You are not being paid,” he said.
The Senate President advised the group to organise meetings with young people and engage them on the administration’s policies rather than allow what he described as propaganda to shape public opinion.
He argued that Nigerians should be made to understand the government’s efforts to address the country’s economic challenges and reduce dependence on crude oil.
Akpabio particularly defended Tinubu’s economic policies, including the tax reforms, saying the administration was introducing changes aimed at diversifying the economy and reviewing outdated laws.
He urged Nigerian youths to look beyond social media criticism and assess the government’s policies and performance.
The former Akwa Ibom governor also declared that the National Assembly had given Tinubu a pass mark and endorsed him for a second term in office.
“I am 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,” he said.
Akpabio maintained that the President was confronting the country’s challenges and expressed confidence that Nigeria would overcome its current difficulties.
The allegation comes as political activities and online exchanges are expected to intensify ahead of the 2027 presidential election, when Tinubu is expected to seek a second term on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress.
Akpabio did not identify the individuals allegedly paying social media users to attack Tinubu or provide evidence to substantiate the claim.
Meanwhile, the Senate President expressed optimism that state police could soon become a reality, claiming that about 30 state Houses of Assembly had endorsed the constitutional amendment required to establish decentralised policing.
He said the proposed arrangement would strengthen security by enabling states to respond more effectively to threats within their territories.
Earlier, Ibrahim said the group honoured Akpabio for his contributions to national development and the achievements of the National Assembly under his leadership.
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