Senate President Godswill Akpabio has alleged that people criticising President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his supporters on social media are being paid, urging northern youths to intensify grassroots mobilisation ahead of the 2027 general election.

Akpabio made the remarks on Wednesday when members of the Arewa Revival Project, a youth organisation drawn from Nigeria’s 19 northern states, visited him at his office and presented him with an award in recognition of his contributions to nation-building.

The delegation was led by the group’s coordinator, Mustafa Ibrahim.

While thanking the organisation for the recognition, Akpabio urged its members to mobilise support for Tinubu’s re-election and engage young Nigerians at the grassroots to explain what he described as the benefits of continuity in government.

He warned that the group could face difficulties countering online criticism because, according to him, some of those attacking the President and his supporters were financially motivated.

“It is not going to be easy for you because most of those who are attacking the President and attacking these young men on social media are being paid. You are not being paid,” the Senate President said.

Akpabio advised the youths to organise regular meetings and engage Nigerians directly, rather than relying solely on social media to promote the administration’s policies.

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“You may not be able to have the kind of energy and time with them. But once in a while, gather the youth together and let them see the truth and know the truth,” he said.

The Senate President, however, did not provide evidence to substantiate his allegation that people criticising Tinubu online were receiving payments.

Akpabio also defended the President’s economic policies, particularly the tax reforms, arguing that the administration was taking steps to reduce Nigeria’s dependence on crude oil and diversify the economy.

He urged young Nigerians to look beyond criticism on social media and assess the government’s policies and initiatives.

The former Akwa Ibom State governor also praised Tinubu’s performance, saying members of the National Assembly had endorsed the President for a second term.

“No President has achieved the level of development that he has done in this country today since independence,” Akpabio said.

His remarks come as political activities gather momentum ahead of the 2027 general election, in which Tinubu is expected to seek re-election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Opposition parties and other critics have continued to question the administration’s economic policies, particularly their effects on the cost of living and household purchasing power.

Akpabio also expressed optimism that Nigeria could soon establish a state police system, claiming that about 30 state Houses of Assembly had endorsed the proposed constitutional amendment.

He said decentralised policing could strengthen the country’s security architecture and improve responses to local security threats.

Earlier, Ibrahim said the group considered Akpabio deserving of the award because of his contributions to national development and the work of the National Assembly under his leadership.

Nigeria’s opposition has raised concerns over an alleged plot to pressure the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) into postponing the January 16, 2027 presidential election, warning against any attempt to alter the electoral timetable over the ongoing Ebola outbreak.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) Presidential Campaign Council raised the alarm on Wednesday, October 28, through its Director of Strategic Communication, Phrank Shaibu.

Shaibu alleged that the council had received information suggesting that INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, could be summoned to the Presidential Villa and pressured to change the election date.

However, the council did not provide evidence to substantiate the allegation, and there was no confirmed indication that such a meeting had been arranged or that the Presidency had formally initiated a process to postpone the election.

The ADC urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to reject any attempt to alter the timetable for political reasons, insisting that Nigerians must be allowed to decide the country’s leadership through the ballot box.

“The election date belongs to Nigerians. It must not be rewritten behind closed doors at the Villa,” the campaign council said in its statement.

The opposition group argued that the scheduled poll would provide voters with an opportunity to assess the administration’s performance amid persistent concerns over the cost of living, declining purchasing power and economic hardship.

Shaibu warned that the Ebola outbreak must not be used as a pretext for postponing the election, while acknowledging the importance of protecting public health.

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He called on health authorities to continue containment efforts and urged INEC to put appropriate measures in place to protect voters, electoral officials and other election workers.

The ADC also called on domestic observers and international election monitors to scrutinise any proposal to change the election timetable. It maintained that any decision to alter the schedule should be made transparently and supported by credible, publicly available health evidence.

The controversy follows comments attributed to Jide Idris, Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), who said there was no current public-health justification for postponing the 2027 general election because of the outbreak.

Adewole Adebayo, presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), has also cautioned against postponing the election or cancelling political campaigns because of Ebola concerns.

The allegations have added to growing political sensitivity surrounding preparations for the 2027 general election, particularly questions about electoral independence, public health and the need to maintain confidence in the democratic process.

INEC’s published election calendar lists January 16, 2027, for the presidential and National Assembly elections, while governorship and state House of Assembly elections are scheduled for February 6, 2027.

As of the latest reports, the alleged plan to pressure INEC remained an opposition claim that had not been independently substantiated. Any decision concerning the election timetable would therefore need to be assessed against official announcements and verifiable evidence, rather than political allegations alone.