Special Adviser disclaims report against Akpabio, says unsigned letter fabricated and circulated in his name

Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio’s Special Adviser on Diaspora and NGOs,  Dr Jibril Lawal Tafida, has washed his hands off a damaging letter against his principal, which was allegedly written by him.

The letter addressed to the Office of the President, The Presidency, Aso Villa Abuja, dated November 22, 2025, chronicled alleged corruption in the National Assembly and the story of his [Tafuda’s] purported abandonment by the Senate President when he lost his mother.

The document, which is doing the rounds on social media, also highlighted some other personal issues.

But in a four-paragraph notice dated 22nd November, 2025 entitled: “DISCLAIMER ON A FABRICATED DOCUMENT CIRCULATING IN MY NAME”, Dr Tafida stated that he did not write, author, endorse or authorise the said letter.

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Tafida said that the unsigned letter was a deliberate attempt to weaponise his name in order to malign the leadership of the Senate and create disaffection where none existed.

He urged the public, media organisations, political actors, and digital distributors, and online publishers to disregard, delete, retract, and desist from circulating it.

The disclaimer reads in extenso: “My attention has been drawn to a lengthy text currently circulating in the media and online platforms, attributed to me and purporting to contain allegations against the President of the Senate, His Excellency, Distinguished Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio, GCON. I state unequivocally and without ambiguity that I did not write, author, endorse, or authorize the said document in any form.

“The content, tone, structure, and allegations contained therein have the clear intention of sowing discord, smearing reputations, and exploiting my name for political mischief – a cursory glance at the letter will immediately reveal the falsehood as the Senate President is not a member of the Tenders Board of the National Assembly, and therefore has nothing to do with contracts or contract awards in the Senate or NASS. How then can he be accused of corruption in contract awards or contract padding? For further clarity, my short stay here shows that the entire premises of the National Assembly are owned and managed in its entirety by the FCDA through its contractor, Laralex Nigeria Ltd. I reject in its entirety and distance myself completely from the publication.

“I continue to hold the President of the Senate in high esteem, both personally and professionally. Our working relationship has been cordial, respectful, and grounded in cooperation and mutual trust. At no time have I expressed or harboured the sentiments contained in the said document.

“This is a deliberate attempt to weaponise my name in order to malign the leadership of the Senate and create disaffection where none exists. I urge the public, media organisations, political actors, and digital distributors to disregard, delete, retract, and desist from circulating it.

“I reaffirm my loyalty to the Office of the President of the Senate and the Senate as a whole. I remain committed to supporting the work of the National Assembly in the interest of national stability, unity, and democratic progress.”