By Abbanobi -Eku Onyeka
A wave of false “news” claiming that Senate President Godswill Akpabio had collapsed and been air‑lifted to a London hospital spread across social media over the weekend, prompting a swift denial from the senator’s office and calls for tighter regulation of online platforms.
The rumour allegedly had it that Akpabio collapsed, and was rushed to London in an air ambulance and admitted to an intensive‑care unit.
However, unverified “sources” and “live videos” circulated by bloggers seeking traffic and ad revenue.
Similar “collapse‑in‑London” stories surfaced two years ago after a birthday colloquium with President Bola Tinubu and again a few months ago, each time debunked when Akpabio appeared in Senate plenary.
Akpabio’s media office recounts a late‑night chat with Akpabio on Friday‑Saturday, confirming the senator was “hale and hearty” at the time.
On the first legislative sitting of the week, Akpabio presided over an extended Senate session without any sign of illness, directly contradicting the “intensive‑care” claim.
Reporters who contacted the Senate President’s office for confirmation were advised to “wait till Tuesday” to see who would chair the plenary, underscoring the story’s lack of credibility.
“In the voice of Chief Nyesom Wike: fake, fake, fake,” they wrote, dismissing the sympathy‑seeking posts urging prayer for Akpabio’s recovery.
The senator’s team highlighted the “satanic” nature of such rumours and warned that repeated false narratives could justify stricter social‑media regulation to protect public figures and their families from unwarranted distress.
Akpabio’s Media Office argues that recurrent fabrication of health‑related stories about public officials necessitates “regulation of the social media to prevent the anguish these cousins of the devils bring to people and their families.”
The article notes that peddlers of the false narrative are likely to “cook another one again” soon, urging continuous scrutiny of unverified claims.
The Senate President’s office reiterated that Akpabio remains in good health and will continue to discharge his duties without interruption.
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