The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has dismissed reports claiming that he collapsed and was flown to London for medical treatment, describing the story as false and misleading.
The rumour, which circulated on Monday across some online news platforms, alleged that Akpabio was airlifted in a private jet to a London hospital after he reportedly collapsed.
Reacting to the claims, the Consultant on Communications and Strategy to the Senate President, Mr. Kenny Okolugbo, firmly denied the report, dismissing it as fake.
When contacted by reporters, Okolugbo said bluntly, “It’s a lie, fake news,” without offering further details.
Earlier reports, quoting unnamed sources, had alleged that Akpabio “collapsed on the 10th of this month and was rushed to London in a private jet provided by billionaire businessman, Aliko Dangote.”
The reports further claimed that the alleged medical emergency kept the Senate President away from official engagements, including the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP) interactive session held on Wednesday.
According to the unverified claims, Akpabio’s condition was said to be serious enough to require continued medical care abroad, with the report alleging that “this is the second time he is being rushed to London for treatment.”
The reports also suggested that several senators had travelled to London to visit the Senate President, quoting a purported statement that “a number of senators have gone to visit me,” in reference to his alleged hospitalisation.
In addition, sources cited in the reports claimed that doctors attending to Akpabio had advised him to scale down his workload, with one briefing alleging that “doctors are advising him to step down from the Senate to attend to his health.”
However, the Senate President’s office has categorically denied all the claims, insisting that the reports of Akpabio’s collapse and hospitalisation in London are entirely false.
