Fatimah Otunsanya
President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, said yesterday that the recent upsurge in insecurity across parts of the country was politically motivated, ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He said the attempts were to discredit President Bola Tinubu, adding that two weeks after the general elections, the attacks and bombing would fizzle out.
Akpabio said Nigerians remained firmly behind President Bola Tinubu and would massively vote for him, despite what he described as distractions.
The Senate president, who stated these at the official commissioning of a major tax administration facility by the Nigeria Revenue Service, NRS, in Abuja, said the emerging security concerns in the country should be viewed within the context of political activities gathering momentum across the country.
“You are seeing insecurity today. It is even increasing because elections are coming,” he said, adding that some actors were deliberately sponsoring unrest to distract the administration.
Akpabio, who expressed confidence that the situation would ease after the electoral cycle, said: “As soon as elections are over, watch out, the first few weeks, you may not hear of such incidents again.”
He argued that the rising attacks were part of broader efforts by political opponents unsettled by the administration’s growing acceptance across party lines.
According to him, President Tinubu’s policies, particularly in revenue generation, fiscal reforms and support for sub-national governments, have continued to attract governors and political actors, thereby reshaping the political landscape ahead of 2027.
“With less than 18 governors at a time, he now has close to 30 or more under his influence,” Akpabio said, suggesting that this consolidation had heightened political tensions.
He further signalled strong political backing for the President’s re-election prospects, declaring that Nigerians still saw Tinubu as indispensable to the country’s future.
“Nigerians cannot do without you in 2027,” he said, echoing sentiments he attributed to key government officials and stakeholders.
Akpabio maintained that despite attempts to discredit the administration, its record of reforms and infrastructure delivery continued to resonate with citizens.
“In less than three years, what we see are projects, projects, and more projects,” he said.
He also defended recent economic reforms, including the removal of fuel subsidy and tax restructuring, insisting that the measures were necessary to stabilise public finances and reposition the economy.
He assured that the National Assembly would continue to support the administration’s policies, while urging Nigerians to remain patient as reforms took root.
