The leadership of the socio-cultural organisation Ati Annang Foundation has formally asked Nigeria’s security agencies to investigate serious allegations of murder levelled against Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, by his sister-in-law, Mrs Patience Akpabio. The request comes in a statement released on Thursday in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State.
According to the statement, titled “Our Grand Patron – Senator Godswill Akpabio Is Not A Killer”, the foundation demanded that Mrs. Akpabio be invited to provide “concrete and verifiable evidence to confirm her allegation on our leader and son.”
The group emphasised that: “By our tradition and culture in Annang land we have respect for constituted authority … we respect family lineage and ties … the recent media vituperations filled with vile, uncouth, vulgar language … are to say the least a great deviation from our ways as a people.”
They described the allegation — that Akpabio and his wife were responsible for several killings during his time as governor of Akwa Ibom State — as a “grievous allegation that must not be swept under the carpet.”
In their view, Akpabio is not “just an ordinary Annang person, but our leader, Akwa Ibom State Leader and the 3rd citizen of Nigeria.”
Furthermore, the statement warned Mrs Akpabio that failure to back her claim with proof could lead to the full force of the law and a demand for a public apology on all the media used to “malign and assassinate the character of our Senator Godswill Akpabio.”
They also applauded his character: “Senator Akpabio is a very compassionate, humane and caring person who has contributed immensely in the upliftment of Annang nation and indeed Akwa Ibom State.” And they concluded:
“He thus therefore deserves the unalloyed loyalty and support of all well-meaning citizens … rather than any unnecessary distraction, blackmail and pull him down attitude. Enough is enough.” CKN News
While this specific allegation centres on murder claims from a close relative, it arrives against a backdrop of other controversies facing Akpabio. He has publicly rejected calls to step down over unrelated allegations, including accusations of sexual harassment and electoral misconduct.
In one of his most quoted responses, he said: “Who told you I was going to step down? … So I’m not one of those people who will step down over false allegations. Then, when it is eventually proven that the allegation was false, they will say, ‘Oh well… I’m not that bad.’” He added: “I will not allow myself to be a victim of miscarriage of justice.”
Given this standing, the cultural group’s urging for evidence and legal process aligns with Akpabio’s stated insistence on fairness and due process.
In the light of the above:
• For the Ati Annang Foundation and the Annang community, this is about defending a local leader with wide influence — they view the allegations as unacceptable and potentially damaging not just to the individual but to the larger community.
• From a governance perspective, the call to summon Mrs Akpabio for investigation signals both a demand for accountability and a readiness to move to legal steps if results are not forthcoming.
• For Akpabio himself, the timing of the allegation adds pressure, though his prior statements suggest he is prepared to resist resignation or removal unless formal evidence compels action.
• The context of other allegations — sexual harassment, electoral impropriety — means this story might have broader implications about how public figures in Nigeria are held to account.
At a time when public trust in institutions is fragile, the insistence by both the cultural organisation and Akpabio himself on evidence and formal process is noteworthy. It draws attention not only to the substance of the allegations but to how they are handled. Will Mrs Patience Akpabio present verifiable evidence? Will the security agencies act? And how will Akpabio’s leadership withstand these waves? Only time — and transparent action — will tell.
